


A Sky of Starry Tears

by StarflowerSea



Category: ARGONAVIS from BanG Dream! AAside (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Drama, Argonavis focused with GYROAXIA cameos, Band Story Inspired, Drama, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Live, Music
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:35:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 31,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28402578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarflowerSea/pseuds/StarflowerSea
Summary: When a live event bound to boost Argonavis's chances for the Live Royale Festival presents itself, they eagerly leap at the opportunity. However, when disaster strikes onstage and threatens Argonavis's reputation, the members are thrown into a tumultuous storm as their bonds with each other are tested…
Comments: 24
Kudos: 30





	1. A New Opportunity

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, and happy new year! To celebrate, I'm kicking off with a new Argonavis-centric multichapter!  
> I've always wondered what a potential band story for Argonavis would look like, so I decided to write one of my own!  
> I hope you enjoy, and as always comments are appreciated!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a new opportunity drawing close for Argonavis, they eagerly prepare for their upcoming live.

“Let’s do it one more time.”

Ren swept everyone with a determined gaze, eyes shining. Even as his bout of singing was intense enough to leave him breathless, he was still fired up – if he had, he could still go for yet another hour.

Yuto nodded with a smile. “Alright! Let’s do it once more from the top, then call it for today.”

Ren felt his breath catch in his throat as they jumped in again. Shaking it off, he charged full speed ahead, singing with everything he had. The others played and sang along with similar intensity, their music filling the room with an airy warmth that swept everyone away. The more Ren sang, the more his heart raced until he thought it would burst from his chest. Even as the song wound down his pulse still thundered in his ears.

“That should do it for today.” Yuto’s voice pulled Ren from his thoughts. “Great job, everyone! Let’s end it here.”

Ren nodded and released his grip on the microphone. Contentedly he stretched himself out, feeling the tension melt from his arms as he gave his friends a content smile.

“Great work, guys!” Banri congratulated everyone with a grin. “We had a really productive session!”

Wataru nodded in agreement. “We made a lot of progress on our setlist for the upcoming live, that’s for sure.”

“The one coming up this week, right?” Ren asked.

“Yep!” Yuto replied. “Called RISE, it’s a chance for bands from all over to showcase their skills and potentially get a wider audience. If we do well there, it’ll give us a good boost for the Live Royale Festival!”

Rio nodded. “We should do our best – no matter how large or small the venue is, we can’t let any chance pass us by.”

“And this seems to be a pretty big one too!” Banri interjected. “Not as big as DesFes or the Live Royale Festival, but it’s still quite famous around here.”

Wataru folded his arms as he looked over everyone. “We can’t afford to slack off, especially with us being RISE’s first act. We need to give off our best first impression, so let’s keep the energy up until then!”

At Wataru’s words everyone responded in affirmation, their faces lighting up with confidence and excitement. Ren nodded, a content smile crossing his face. The thought of performing onstage in front of a packed audience sent his heart skipping – it was always an exhilarating feeling.

Together the band packed up and headed out of the studio, stepping out into the cool evening air. The wind brought about the familiar chill of fall, the sinking sun painting the sky with fiery orange, gold, and purple hues.

“Soon we’ll be taking another step towards the Live Royale Festival,” Rio mused. “Surely the audience has heard of us in the least – I wouldn’t be surprised if many of our regular fans attended.”

“But as always we have a chance to gain new fans too!” Banri chimed in with an excited grin. “Let’s win over the whole audience and make as much money as we can!”

Wataru chuckled at that. “Always one to have that on your mind, huh?”

“Hey, money  _ is _ important!” Banri exclaimed. “It’s the biggest reason why I joined Argonavis, after all!”

“But it’s not the only reason, right?” Yuto replied with what seemed like a smirk. “After all, you love this band more than anyone else, don’t you?”

Banri’s cheeks flushed pink as he ducked his head, clearly embarrassed. After a moment he sighed with an abashed smile. “Yeah, I guess.”

Ren shook his head with a chuckle at his friends’ banter. In the end, it was simply a day like any other, and for that he was grateful.

Before long Argonavis arrived at their sharehouse, the setting sun behind them. As they made their way in, Pon-chan greeted them with a joyful bark, wagging his tail eagerly as he plodded up to them.

“Hey, Pon-chan.” Smiling, Ren crouched down and gave Pon-chan an affectionate cuddle. “How was your day?”

Pon-chan yipped as he gently licked Ren’s cheek. Ren chuckled as he pat Pon-chan, then let the puppy go. Pon-chan glanced at Ren with a tilt of his head, then took to trailing the others in hopes for attention. Yuto and Banri spoiled Pon-chan with cuddles and treats, while Wataru and Rio were a touch more reserved in their affection.

Wataru walked over to the kitchen, glancing at the chore chart on the fridge. “Alright. Looks like it’s Kikyo’s and my turn to make dinner tonight. What would you guys like?”

“I’m fine with whatever,” Yuto replied with a shrug.

“I also don’t have a preference,” Ren chimed in.

Banri nodded in agreement. “Same here.”

“Then how does curry sound?” Rio asked.

At the mention of curry everyone lit up in agreement. With smiles on their faces Wataru and Rio went to cooking, while Ren, Yuto, and Banri relaxed in the living room.

Yuto heaved a sigh as he sprawled out on the couch. “Phew, I’m wiped! Today was a productive day for sure.”

“Definitely,” Banri replied, chuckling as Pon-chan hopped up on the couch, settling between him and Yuto. “We’re almost ready for the live!”

“Yeah,” Ren said with a smile, stretching out the exhausted tension in his limbs. He opened his mouth to speak again, only for his voice to be cut off by a cough.

“You okay?” Yuto asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

Ren nodded and waved away the question. “I’m fine. It’s just a cough.”

“You did sing a lot today,” Banri said. “You should rest your voice if you can.”

“Thanks, both of you.” Ren gave Yuto and Banri an appreciative smile. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

Their conversation was interrupted as Wataru poked his head into the living room. “Dinner’s ready, guys.”

“Got it!”

Together Ren, Yuto, and Banri leapt to their feet and made their way to the dining room, Pon-chan excitedly following behind. There they were greeted with the rich, warm aromas of fresh curry and rice, the sight making Ren’s mouth water. Immediately he remembered the first time all of Argonavis made curry together, under Rio’s direction. Back then were great times.

“This smells amazing!” Yuto exclaimed as he sat down. “I can’t wait to dig in!”

Banri soon joined Yuto, gazing down at his plate eagerly. “You guys always make amazing stuff. Thank you, as always!”

Wataru smiled fondly at them. “No problem. We’re all living together after all, so it’s the least we can do.”

Ren sat down, inhaling deeply as his stomach rumbled with hunger pangs. “I’m really hungry – let’s eat already!”

“I’m coming,” Rio chuckled as he emerged from the kitchen. “I’m glad you all enjoy our cooking, as always.”

Together the five sat and ate contently, the clink of utensils filling the air. Ren took a bite of the curry, feeling his exhaustion melt away as the rich flavors mingled on his tongue. Hungrily he ate, invigoration and warm contentment filling him.

“Hey, so…” Ren paused and trailed off as he cleared his throat.

“Hm?” Yuto glanced up from his plate. “What is it, Ren?”

“For the live, I was wondering if we could—” Ren began, only to grimace as a wave of soreness gripped him.

“Ren, are you okay?” Yuto asked. “Your voice doesn’t sound good.”

Ren paused, only now realizing the hoarseness in his voice. He frowned in thought, then shook his head. “I guess my throat’s sore from earlier. With rest it should be fine, right?”

“Yeah, but…” Yuto shared a concerned glance with Wataru and Rio.

“Tonight you should focus on resting your voice,” Rio advised. “Take it easy and try not to talk nor sing too much. I’ll make some tea for you later.”

“Thank you, Rio. I appreciate it,” Ren said with a quiet smile, even though worry pricked at him.

Dinner soon wound down, with Banri going to clear the table and wash the dishes while Yuto fed Pon-chan and Rio went to make tea for Ren. Wataru meanwhile went off to do other things, leaving Ren to wander to the living room and relax on the couch once again. They still had quite a bit of free time before bed – what should they do?

Just as Ren was about to turn on the television Yuto wandered in, holding a pack of cards. “Want to play?”

“Cards?” Ren asked, perking up.

“Yep. It’s been a while since our last game of poker, so I thought it’d be nice to play it again.” Yuto pulled out the deck and shuffled the cards absentmindedly. “What do you say?”

“If everyone else agrees, then I’m fine with it,” Ren replied.

“I heard poker!” Banri’s voice floated over to them as Banri emerged, drying his hands on a towel. “I’m definitely in!” He pointed towards Yuto with a playful smirk. “I want revenge after that last game!”

“Hey, it wasn’t my fault you lost that one!” Yuto retorted. “Besides you won literally half of the matches that time!”

“What about that royal flush though?” Ren nodded at Banri amusedly. “I have to admit, it really surprised me when you showed me that – I never expected you to be hiding it all along.”

Banri only laughed, throwing his head back. “You still remember that! That was one of the best moments for sure!”

Yuto could only shake his head with a sigh. “I swear, sometimes you have the craziest tricks up your sleeve.”

“That’s what makes poker so great!” Banri replied with a wide grin.

“Looks like we’re playing poker, huh?” Wataru emerged in the doorway, amusement evident in his voice.

Rio joined them as well, fixing the others with a smirk. “Looks like it’s been decided. I’m interested in seeing how this game goes as well.”

“Alright!” Banri cheered. “Let’s do it!”

With that the next few hours passed in a whir of activity, carefree laughter filling the air. The worries of before melted away, all but forgotten in the joy shared in the moment.

Finally the game wound down, the pace lulling to a crawl as content drowsiness settled in. Ren gave his friends a sleepy smile as he gazed around at them. Those simple, yet warm moments between them, he always cherished.

One by one everyone said their goodnights as they drifted off to bed. Before long Ren was the only one remaining, something quietly urging him to stay.

Ren quietly stretched out on the couch, lost in thought. Argonavis had come so far, and soon they were going to take their next step towards standing on the grand stage of the Live Royale Festival. Though at first the thought was a bit scary, Ren was soon filled with excitement. He knew that with his friends by his side, together they could achieve anything – and with them all sharing the same dream, there was no way they could lose.

Slowly Ren stood and made his way to his room, drowsiness weighing heavier on him with every step he took. No sooner did he crawl into bed did Ren fall fast asleep, a quiet smile on his face as dreams of Argonavis performing together amidst a sea of stars drifted through his mind.


	2. Shadows of Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren’s voice begins to show signs of strain. Despite his friends’ concern, he wants to continue preparations for RISE.

When Ren woke up the next morning, his throat felt scratchy.

Immediately he reached for the glass of water beside his bed and gulped it down, wincing at the pain that reared its head. Carefully he cleared his throat and swallowed again, feeling a touch of relief as his airway seemed to clear. However, that quickly was offset by the sensation of needles pricking at his throat, eliciting a quiet wince. It seemed that the full consequences of yesterday’s session were getting in – thankfully it didn’t seem as bad as he had feared.

Shrugging it off, Ren got out of bed and went through his morning routine. Though the pain itself was bearable, if a bit annoying, the scratchiness in his throat left his voice hoarse. He could only pray that it didn’t affect his singing too much.

Thankfully the morning went by smoothly – classes went by quietly, though at times in between Ren caught himself trying to hum, only to be greeted with a hitch as his voice cracked. He drank quite a bit more water than usual, which seemed to help.

By the afternoon, the soreness in Ren’s throat had eased up, and he felt confident that he could sing at his usual register and volume. The thought of practicing in the studio with the rest of Argonavis filled him with a familiar excitement that sent his heart racing. RISE was drawing nearer and nearer by the day – he couldn’t wait to get onstage and sing his heart out! With those thoughts spurring him on, Ren took off towards the studio – surely the others were already there by now.

When Ren arrived at the studio fifteen minutes later, he spotted Yuto and Wataru outside, seemingly waiting for him.

“There you are!” Yuto waved Ren over energetically.

“Hey, guys.” Ren flashed Yuto and Wataru a smile as he jogged over, though he was aware of the raggedness in his voice as he stopped, panting. Immediately Yuto’s and Wataru’s faces clouded with concern as they frowned.

“Are you alright?” Wataru asked. “Your voice sounds hoarse.”

Ren glanced up in surprise, then swallowed and nodded. “Yeah, just a sore throat. I think I can still sing fine, though.”

Yuto and Wataru exchanged a glance.

“That must’ve been a carryover from yesterday,” Wataru said. “Are you sure you want to practice today?”

“RISE is coming up in just a few days, isn’t it?” Ren glanced towards the studio window, where a poster advertising RISE was plastered on. “I want to do my best for it, so I don’t mind practicing,”

“But your voice…” Yuto trailed off with a troubled expression.

Wataru gently nudged Ren and Yuto towards the studio doors. “Let’s at least get inside first and set up. We can talk more there.”

Nodding, Ren and Yuto made their way into the studio, Wataru close behind.

As they got set up, Ren quietly tried humming a few notes. Other than a slight hiccup, his voice came out relatively smoothly. He nodded in satisfaction, then walked over to the microphone.

“Hey, everyone!” Banri’s cheery voice came from the doorway as he walked in, Rio close behind. “Sorry we’re late. We got a bit held up along the way.”

“You’re right on time!” Yuto replied with a cheery smile. “Looks like everyone’s here!”

Ren smiled around at everyone warmly. “Shall we get started?”

“We should take it easy for now,” Wataru suggested. “Ren’s voice hasn’t recovered from yesterday, and I’m worried that if we practice like we normally do, he might strain it further.”

Rio nodded, brow furrowed. “I agree with Matoba. Nanahoshi, you should take it easy for now. We’ll cover for you.”

“But I’m fine though.” Ren’s voice rose a touch in protest as he spread out his hands. “I still want to sing.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Even Banri’s brows were knit together in concern. “It’d be a really bad thing if you were to mess up your voice so soon before the live.”

“I know, but…” Ren trailed off, then lowered his head in resignation. “At least let me try.”

Silence hung in the air as the others exchanged trepidation-filled gazes. Ren waited with bated breath, gulping down the lingering soreness in his throat.

Finally, Wataru sighed and nodded. “Fine. But at the first sign of trouble, we’re stopping.”

Ren blinked in surprise, then gave Wataru a grateful smile. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

“Alright,” Yuto said as he held everyone’s gazes in his own. “Let’s start with _Goal Line,_ from the top.”

With that they leapt into rehearsal, going down the setlist in order. The mood in the studio wavered, excitement mingling with – and at times dipping towards – worried tension. Though Ren took the others’ advice and sang softer than normal, allowing Yuto to cover for him as needed, Yuto and Wataru still clearly seemed worried – at least that’s what Ren could sense from the glances the two shared every now and then.

Three songs later, however, Ren found himself panting, no longer able to ignore the pain worming its way back into his throat.

“Hey Ren, shouldn’t you rest for a bit?” Yuto’s voice drew Ren from his thoughts. “Though you’ve only sung a few songs, your voice is already straining – and it’s only bound to get worse if you continue for any longer.”

“Huh? I’m fine—” Ren replied reflexively, only to catch himself as his sentence cut off in a cough. Biting back a nervous chuckle as he saw Wataru’s eyes narrow, Ren stepped away from the mic. “Alright. I’ll stop for now.”

“You need it.” Rio’s voice, though gentle, contained a quiet firmness. “Your voice has grown more hoarse with every song we’ve played, and this is with you singing at fifty percent your normal strength. With RISE coming up so soon, we can’t have you risk damaging your voice beforehand.”

“Got it.” Ren grabbed his water bottle and drew a few deep, long sips. The ice-cold water was refreshing after such a while of singing, with the added bonus of numbing the ache in his throat.

“Should we all take a break, then?” Yuto asked.

Banri nodded and stretched. “Sounds like a good idea to me.”

With that, everyone wandered off to get water and stretch. The atmosphere seemed a touch more relaxed, though there were still palpable undercurrents of worry.

Ren glanced around at his friends, trying to think of something to say. He knew they were all concerned about him and his voice, and yet seeing them like this filled him with pangs of guilt.

Finally, Ren drew in a deep breath and straightened. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

“Huh?” The others glanced at him in surprise.

Ren gave the rest of Argonavis a reassuring smile. “I know you’re all worried about me, and I appreciate that. But I know what I’m doing, and I know that we’re all going to be alright.”

“You call singing for three songs nonstop, _knowing_ your voice wasn’t at its best, knowing what you’re doing?” Wataru asked as he folded his arms.

“Hey, at least he took it easy, didn’t he?” Banri asked. “And Ren-kun let Yuto-kun cover for him as needed too.”

“Still, it’s best to be cautious,” Rio replied. “If Nanahoshi damages his voice before the live – or worse, onstage – we’re going to have a much harder time performing.”

Ren clenched his jaw, then straightened and sang a few notes. To his relief, they came out loud and clear. “See?”

“That’s the voice we know!” Banri’s cheer startled everyone as it pierced the air.

The five could only glance at each other in surprise before breaking into chuckles, their voices light as they filled the room. With that came hints of relief and hope, a peaceful warmth that eased the tension in the air.

Before long Ren felt the familiar desire to sing tugging at him, a soft melody slipping free before he realized it. Yuto and Wataru could only exchange bemused glances while Rio and Banri quietly listened.

After a moment Ren stopped, aware of his friends’ gazes on him. “What is it?”

“I know you keep saying you’re fine, but shouldn’t you still be more careful?” Wataru pressed his lips in a thin line. “Besides, it’s barely been five minutes.”

Ren bit his lip with a quiet sigh. Even though Wataru was right, Ren couldn’t help the urge nudging at him. “What about humming then?”

“Yeah, humming should be fine, right?” Yuto said. “Even if it’s just a little bit?”

Rio looked Ren over, then reluctantly nodded. “I suppose so – but make sure not to overdo it.”

“I’ll try not to.” Ren gave Rio an appreciative smile, then began to hum the chorus of _VOICE._

As he did everyone seemed to perk up, Yuto’s and Banri’s faces brightening. Even Wataru’s and Rio’s stern expressions relaxed as they listened. Ren closed his eyes with a blissful smile, his voice gradually growing stronger as he began to sing openly. However, just as he hit a particularly high note his voice cracked, before cutting off in a cough.

Ren smiled sheepishly as he caught his friends’ worried gazes. “I guess that’s a sign I should stop, huh?” He cleared his throat, grimacing slightly at the soreness.

“Maybe you should sit out the rest of this rehearsal,” Wataru suggested.

Ren’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait, what?”

“Even humming seems to be placing strain on your voice,” Rio explained. “If things continue like this, I fear the worst may happen during RISE itself.”

The last sentence sent chills down Ren’s spine as he hung his head in understanding, well aware of the disappointment gnawing at him.

Yuto nodded as well, a shadow crossing his face. “As much as I hate to say this, I have to agree. If even humming was enough to cause your voice to break, I don’t want to imagine what actual singing would do.”

Ren looked around at everyone, then nodded resignedly. “If you all say so, then I guess I have no choice.”

“I know it’s not ideal, but it’s for the best.” Wataru gave Ren a comforting pat on the shoulder. Ren could only nod with a half-hearted smile.

Quietly Ren sat in a chair placed against the wall and watched as the others milled about, casting uneasy glances at him every now and then. Slowly a worry began to gnaw at him, emerging from the haze of thoughts with a nearly frightening clarity. He knew the others were right, and yet the true impact of their words was slowly creeping up on him little by little, snaring him like a vice.

Ren clenched his jaw as he shook the thoughts off. Surely everything was going to be alright – if he took care of himself and his voice, they should get through the performance fine. Besides, they still had some time before RISE – enough that his throat should hopefully recover by then.

Ren quietly watched as the others resumed rehearsal, playing through the setlist as normal. With Yuto covering for Ren and Wataru thus covering Yuto’s parts as needed, something about the sound felt different – it was as if the timbre had shifted, becoming almost brighter than normal. Ren had to admit, it was rather enjoyable, seeing the new harmonies that came about.

Little by little, however, everything else gradually began to slip away as Ren’s mind wandered. Before he knew it time and space melted into a dull haze, broken only by the thoughts and worries swirling within his mind.

He could only pray that his voice recovered – or at the least didn’t worsen – by the time RISE came around. And yet Ren clung to the ray of hope that shone through the fog, that everything was going to be alright. After all, they had come this far, and all in all this was but a minor setback.

What was the worst that could go wrong?


	3. A Lost Voice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the day of RISE. Argonavis takes to the stage, but in the middle of their performance, Ren’s voice…?!

The next few days rushed by in a blur of classes, rehearsals, and other live preparations. With each passing day, eager anticipation thrummed in the air, Argonavis’s spirits high as they looked forward to RISE.

Gradually Ren’s voice seemed to improve, the soreness in his throat abating over time. Though pleased, Wataru and Rio were insistent on Ren continuing to rest until they were sure his voice had fully recovered. Yuto and Banri, on the other hand, expressed concern that without practice, Ren wouldn’t be prepared for the live. Eventually they reached a compromise, where Ren would practice every other day, with the caveat that he would immediately stop at the first sign of trouble.

Truth be told, Ren couldn’t help but feel a touch annoyed – though he understood his friends’ concern for him, their near-constant needling – especially from Wataru and Rio – soon grew tiring. Yet Ren knew better than to argue with his friends, so he swallowed his feelings and adhered to their guidelines the best he could. As such, he found himself watching the others rehearse from the sidelines, with Yuto and Wataru Ren’s vocals. To his surprise Ren found it refreshing, fascinating even, listening to the others sing solo parts they hadn’t sung before. He encouraged them the best he could, watching joyfully as their voices seemed to blossom.

With that practice continued as normal, and before Argonavis knew it the day of RISE had arrived.

All of Argonavis were filled with nervous excitement as they got ready and drove down to the venue. A crisp breeze whistled through the air, the morning sunlight shining warmly down on them as they made their way through the streets.

Ren drew in a deep breath, letting the brisk air invigorate him as it filled his lungs. Today was the day – the day they would stand upon that glittering stage and sing for the world. The heady buzz filling his chest swept away all other feelings, leaving him nearly afloat.

A glance at the others told Ren that they felt the same way, bright, carefree smiles on everyone’s faces as they gazed out at the throngs of people passing them by.

“The day’s finally here.” Ren broke the silence as he peeked out at the scenery whizzing past.

“And we’re all ready for it!” Banri chimed in with a grin.

“How’re you feeling, Ren?” Wataru asked as he glanced into the rearview mirror.

Ren gave Wataru a confident smile. “I’m ready to sing!”

Wataru seemed to brighten at that. “I’m glad to hear it. But make sure not to put yourself too hard, alright?”

“I won’t, don’t worry.”

“Look!” Yuto’s shout drew them from their conversation as he pointed up ahead at a large stage. “That must be it!”

Next to Ren, Banri perked up, eyes wide. “You’re right! That’s  _ gotta _ be RISE, without a doubt!”

Ren gasped in awe as his gaze was drawn to the stage, his heart beginning to race. They were here.

A slightly harried search for parking later, the group spilled out into the open, following the crowds towards the venue.

“I can’t believe we’re finally here!” Yuto shouted. “Come on!” Before anyone could stop him Yuto had broken into a run, headed straight towards it.

“Yu! Wait for us!” Wataru shouted as he followed. Ren, Banri, and Rio could only chuckle as they jogged after the pair.

After a breathless run, they found themselves staring up at the spacious stage before them. Around them throngs of people milled, the air thick with excited chatter.

“Wow…” Ren whispered breathlessly, eyes wide. “It looks so much bigger up close…”

“So this is RISE,” Rio said as he surveyed the stage. “You certainly meant it when you said it was a big event.”

“Then we gotta do our best!” Banri cried as he fist-pumped the air. “Come on! I see the registration table over there!”

“I’ll go with you!” Wataru chimed in as he and Banri took off.

“Sounds good!” Yuto shouted after them before turning towards Ren and Rio. “Since we’re up first as the opening act, we should probably head backstage and get ready.”

“Got it,” Ren and Rio replied in unison.

Thanks to the signs showing the way, it didn’t take the trio long to find the dressing rooms. They quickly changed into their concert attire, grabbed their instruments, and tuned. Wataru and Banri soon joined them and followed suit, the air in the room filled with a nearly palpable buzz.

Curiously Ren peeked out from the wings at the stage. The air was abuzz with energy even from here, crowds filling the audience area below like a river flowing into the sea. The sight was enough to send Ren’s heart racing once again.

“There are so many people…” Yuto whispered. “But it’s nothing we can’t handle!”

Ren nodded, a smile crossing his face. “It’s time.”

Together Ren and Yuto turned to Wataru, Rio, and Banri. The five were all smiles as they huddled together, their eyes filled with warmth and determination.

“Let’s go!” Yuto cried. “One, two, three—”

_ “Argonavis!” _ everyone shouted in unison, their cheer resounding through the air. The sound filled Ren’s chest with heat and sent adrenaline rushing through him.

It was time.

Together the five turned to the glowing stage, walking on as one. Immediately the crowd greeted them with a roar that thundered in Ren’s ears and rumbled in his chest.

For a moment Ren halted and gazed out over the sea of people, his breath catching in his throat. This was it. This was RISE.

Drawing in a deep breath, Ren closed his hand around the microphone and raised his head. “Hello, everyone! We’re Argonavis!”

No sooner did the words leave his mouth than did the crowd erupt into cheers once again, penlights waving in a flurry of color. Ren turned to the rest of Argonavis with a grin, everyone nodding in unison.

“Please enjoy our first song,  _ Goal Line!” _

Ren’s heart took flight as the familiar intro rang out, all other concerns forgotten as his voice soon followed. The sea of lights in front of them shone a brilliant blue that reminded him of sparkling ocean waves.

Together all of Argonavis sang and played in harmony, their voices soaring out over the audience. Exhilaration like no other surged through Ren, and before like he was swaying to the beat, twirling and roaming the stage as he sang. The audience pulsed in time to the beat as they cheered along, their energy swelling like a tide that washed over the stage.

Barely did the final chords of  _ Goal Line _ ring in Ren’s ears did Argonavis forge ahead into their next song,  _ AGAIN, _ to renewed waves of cheers _. _ Ren pushed through with all his might, the energy in his voice matching that of his friends’. Yet he thought he could feel a roughness beginning to creep in.

As Ren arrived at the chorus, he stiffened as his voice cracked on one of the notes. Catching his breath, he ignored it and continued, determined not to let it stop him. The others’ voices rose all around as if rallying to support him, lifting him up. Glancing around, Ren could see his friends smiling at him encouragingly, their expressions warm. Ren’s heart swelled as he smiled back at them, facing the audience with his all as they continued.

By the time the song ended, Ren was panting raggedly, his heart pounding in his chest. He gulped and drew in a deep breath to steady himself, only to stiffen as a wave of pain assaulted his throat. His chest tightened as he gulped again and ducked his head to clear away the hoarseness.

As Ren raised his gaze, he thought he caught a few concerned gazes in the front row. He flashed them a reassuring smile and readied to address the audience again.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Yuto’s voice carried over the crowd.

“Thank you, everyone! I’m glad you enjoyed that!”

Ren’s eyebrows shot up as he turned towards Yuto with a gasp. He could see concern and determination mingling in Yuto’s eyes as the latter met Ren’s gaze with a silent nod. Drawing in a breath to steady himself, Ren turned his gaze back towards the audience, acutely aware of the hoarseness firmly lodging itself in his throat. Out of the corner of his eye Ren thought he could see a hint of steeliness in Yuto’s expression, even as the latter tried to remain cheerful. 

“Please enjoy our next song,  _ Gift!” _

As the crowd cheered, Ren cast a glance around at everyone, pangs of guilt roiling in his gut as the others responded with gazes of concern. Even Rio’s brows were knit together, his lips pressed together in a frown. All Ren could do was give them his best attempt at a reassuring smile.

The first chords of  _ Gift _ strummed in Ren’s ears, familiar and soothing. Lulled, Ren closed his eyes and let the gentle undercurrent carry him, the worried knot in his chest easing somewhat as he temporarily slipped away.

Opening his eyes, Ren drew in a breath and began to sing, a huskiness infusing his voice. Clenching his jaw, he shoved away the worry gnawing at him and continued the best he could, even as his voice seemed to grow raspier with every note. The audience seemed to catch on, some of the members exchanging confused glances with one another before turning back towards the stage with worried frowns. Ren tightened his grip on the microphone until his fingers cramped, clearing his throat as he forced his voice to steady.

The music swelled as they neared the chorus, a nearly palpable tension rising along with it. Drawing in a deep breath, Ren pushed forward with a burst of energy, his voice rising higher and higher. They were almost there, just a little more—

As they landed on the first beat of the chorus, Ren’s voice broke – then fell silent.

Ren froze as his voice disappeared, as if someone had reached inside of him and stolen it right out of his throat. Confused, he drew in a breath and tried to project again, but was only able to manage a choked whisper.

Ren’s eyes widened as he drew the microphone closer to him and tried to sing again.

Nothing.

Below murmurs of confusion rippled through the crowd, many of them casting concerned glances at each other and wondering aloud what was going on. Slowly Ren’s grip on the microphone fell slack as icy realization crashed over him, leaving him numb.

This couldn’t be happening.

All other sound was swallowed up by the thunder of Ren’s heartbeat as he hung his head, his vision blurring as his knees threatened to give out underneath him. His throat closed up as he gulped desperately, trying to force back the waves of panic.

Through the haze, Ren could faintly hear his friends frantically calling his name. Numbly he glanced up at them, his heart sinking as he took in their panicked gazes.

Finally his hand fell from the microphone, hanging limp at his side as his gaze trailed towards the sea of lights slowly winking out one by one.

_ I’m sorry, everyone…I’m so sorry… _


	4. In the Spotlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Argonavis’s performance grinds to a halt as they scramble to figure out what to do. Amidst the whispers from the crowd, Yuto gets an idea…

In one moment, the live ground to a halt.

The once-bright venue darkened, bright music and enthusiastic cheers replaced by confused murmurs and worried whispers.

Yuto could only stare, stunned, as Ren’s shoulders sagged, head hanging in shame.

“Ren!” Without hesitation Yuto rushed to Ren’s side, the shout on his lips. The latter turned towards Yuto with a haunted expression, eyes glassy as tears threatened to spill.

Yuto gently placed an arm around Ren’s shoulder. “Are you alright?”

His only response was a shake of the head as Ren turned towards the audience, his frame trembling. Yuto pressed his lips together as he too gazed out over the crowd, his stomach sinking at the visible discontent rippling its way outward.

“What do we do?” Wataru shouted over the din. “We can’t continue like this…!”

Yuto glanced over his shoulder at Rio and Banri, taking in their tense, worried expressions. Yuto lowered his head, clenching his jaw silently as he racked his brain. What _could_ they do?

Suddenly a thought came to mind, illuminating the darkness. Yuto lit up for a moment, then bit his tongue as he hesitated.

Would they be able to perform with just the four of them?

Slowly Yuto made his way back to his spot, his chest knotting as he felt everyone’s eyes – band and audience – on him. Yuto gazed up at the sky and inhaled deeply, then exhaled as he locked eyes with Wataru, Banri, and Rio. This was the only chance they had.

“Let’s start again. From the chorus.” He hoped his voice carried enough conviction that the others would follow without worry.

Unsurprisingly the others stared at him in surprise, mouthing questions of concern. Yet all of that seemed to melt away as Yuto held their gazes in his own, giving them a reassuring, yet resolute nod. Gradually the others relaxed, nodding in understanding. With that Yuto straightened and turned to face the crowd.

As if on cue, Banri tapped his sticks together in a wordless countdown. As it reached four, Yuto strummed the chords of _Gift’s_ chorus and began to sing, his voice carrying out over the audience. Though his voice wavered slightly, Yuto continued to push on. There was no turning back now.

He perked up as Wataru’s voice rose to take on the backup vocals that Yuto himself would normally sing, followed soon by Rio and Banri. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Yuto spotted Ren staring around at everyone, slack-jawed and eyes wide. For a moment Yuto locked eyes with Ren, giving the latter a reassuring smile as four voices rose in a warm harmony.

Yuto felt a relieved smile spread across his face as the audience too seemed to settle down. It seemed that things were back on track.

As they continued, Yuto felt warmth spread through him. Truth be told, it was a little scary being thrust into the spotlight so suddenly, especially since the only times he had sang solo lines lay in either duets with Ren or songs where all five members shared lines equally. Yet he couldn’t also help but feel a thrill as his gaze swept the crowd. There was no doubt he felt the same feelings Ren did when singing.

The rest of the live passed by in a blur, all of time seeming to vanish. As the final song wound down, Yuto found himself breathless, sweat running down his face as he gazed out over the cheering crowd.

He had no clue how on earth they pulled that off – but somehow, they did.

Together all of Argonavis gathered at the front of the stage, exchanging relieved smiles with each other as they bowed for the audience. Glancing out of this corner of his eye at Ren, Yuto noticed that the latter’s face was streaked with tears, lower lip quivering.

With the crowd’s cheers still ringing in their ears, Argonavis waved to everyone as they made their way backstage. Their performance had finally finished.

The air was still and tremulous as the five gathered together, everyone’s minds swirling with thoughts. Finally, a collective sigh broke the tension as everyone looked up at each other.

“Ren, are you…” Yuto began, before trailing off as he saw Ren trembling visibly.

A choked sob broke loose as Ren gazed up at everyone, a shaky smile stretching across his face even as tears streamed down his cheeks.

“Thank you, everyone.” Though it was but a hoarse whisper, gratitude welled up in Ren’s voice. “Your support means more to me than you ever know.”

Yuto could only nod wordlessly as he felt a lump in his throat. The knot in his chest loosened as a wave of exhausted relief washed over him.

“Seriously, you saved us back there, Yu,” Wataru chimed in, his voice shaky. “I can’t believe we managed to pull that off.”

Yuto chuckled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. “I wasn’t thinking straight, I admit – I just jumped to the first thing I could think of.” His smile quickly faded as he turned back towards Ren. “But most importantly of all…Ren, your voice is…”

Again a heavy silence settled over the room as the full realization slammed into everyone like a truck.

“We should get to a doctor immediately.” Rio’s voice cleaved through the air.

“You’re right.” Wataru glanced around the dressing room, then turned to leave. “I’ll let the staff know. You guys go on ahead.”

Yuto nodded at Wataru. “We’ll be waiting for you at the van.”

The group parted ways, with Wataru heading off into the venue grounds while the others made their way back to the van, weaving through the throngs of people as they went. As they arrived and settled in, the true weight of the situation began to settle in, a painful silence stretching out.

“…I’m sorry,” Ren finally whispered.

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Rio replied gently. “This was something out of your control.”

Ren’s gaze was downcast as his hands curled into fists. “But if only I had listened to you guys, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Well, we can’t change the past.” Yuto hated how harsh the words sounded. “All we can do is find a way to move forward. Besides, I’m sure that with some rest, your voice will return to normal.”

“Yuto-kun’s right,” Banri chimed in, sounding as reassuring as he could. “I’m sure it’s just vocal strain, nothing a few weeks’ rest can’t fix. Besides, we can still rehearse with modifications, like we did this time around.”

Ren nodded in agreement and smiled weakly at everyone, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Thank you, everyone. I appreciate it.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Yuto spotted movement. Glancing out the window, he perked up as he spotted Wataru sprinting towards them as fast as he could.

“Sorry I’m late!” Wataru panted as he doubled over. “The staff held me up a bit more than expected.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Yuto replied as he nodded at the passenger door. “Come on. Let’s go.”

With all five of them in the van, Yuto maneuvered out of the venue, hitting the gas as soon as they were out on the streets. The ride was quiet, everyone becoming absorbed in their own thoughts as the air swirled thick with unspoken, yet shared fears. Before long they arrived at the nearest municipal hospital, the sight of the building causing Yuto’s stomach to twist into knots. Shaking off the hesitation, he led the rest of Argonavis inside.

The pungent odor of antiseptic stung Yuto’s nostrils as he stepped in, causing him to wrinkle his nose. The sterile white walls and floors were near blinding, a painfully sharp reminder of what had happened before.

Wataru and Ren walked over to the receptionist’s desk together while Yuto sat with Rio and Banri in the waiting room’s seats, waiting morosely. Yuto gazed down at his hands clasped in his lap, regret gnawing at his mind.

How could he have been so foolish as to let Ren go onstage like that?

Yuto’s shoulders tensed as pangs of guilt stabbed at his chest like knives. If only he had been more firm with Ren, if only he had been more open with everyone. He shouldn’t have taken Ren’s words at first glance, hearing his voice rasp and break like that.

Gradually his thoughts blurred together, before finally imploding into a sea of disjointed words and phrases as Yuto buried his head in his hands. He couldn’t believe that he had let everyone down like this – as Argonavis’s leader, he should’ve known better.

The scuffle of footsteps on tile drew Yuto from his stupor. Glancing up, he spotted Wataru and Ren walking towards them.

“We got Ren registered,” Wataru said as he sat down next to Yuto. “They say the doctor will be out soon.”

“Good to know.” The reply came out dull, exhausted. Glancing around, Yuto saw that Rio’s brows were furrowed in worry, while Banri wore a dejected frown.

“We just need to have faith.” The words slipped from Yuto instinctively as he desperately tried to sound cheery. “Everything will be okay. I’m sure of it.”

Wataru knit his eyebrows together. “That look on your face says otherwise.”

“I know, but…” Yuto sighed as he trailed off, a rueful chuckle escaping. There was no denying that Wataru’s words stung. “You know me well, Wataru.”

“What can I say? We’ve known each other for almost over a year now.”

Yuto simply shook his head at a sigh. Though it was clear Wataru was trying to lift the mood with an attempt at humor, it had fallen flat, sucking even more air out of the already-choked room.

Just as Yuto was about to open his mouth to speak, the door next to the receptionist’s desk opened.

“Ren Nanahoshi.”

Yuto’s heart leapt to his throat at the voice.

It couldn’t be…

Slowly Yuto raised his head towards the doctor standing in the doorway, an icy jolt paralyzing his limbs as he came face-to-face with a tall man in a white coat, neatly combed brown hair framing a calm, yet sharp expression further accented by his dark-rimmed glasses.

The man seemed to perk up in recognition as the two locked eyes.

“Yuto?”

A tense beat stretched out as Yuto gaped. His legs were rooted to the floor, his stomach feeling as if the wind had been knocked out of him.

“Daisuke…”

Yuto’s voice as a bare whisper, his mouth dry as sandpaper. All thoughts vanished entirely from his mind, leaving him to flounder helplessly for words.

“Yu?” Wataru’s voice snapped Yuto out of his daze.

Yuto startled as he felt himself being pulled back into rational time and space. “Huh? Oh…Um, Ren’s here.”

Immediately Ren stood with a nod and headed over to the door. Without thinking Yuto leapt to his feet and followed, ignoring Wataru’s, Rio’s, and Banri’s confused gazes. It was as if something was unconsciously pulling him towards Daisuke. Was it a desire to protect Ren? Or was it something else?

Gritting his teeth, Yuto shook off the thoughts. None of that mattered right now. All that mattered was that Ren was going to be okay – and he had to trust that Daisuke would provide the proper care Ren needed.

“Please come with me,” Daisuke said as he led Ren and Yuto down the hall.

Quietly the two followed, casting darting glances around at their surroundings. Here the odor of antiseptic grew stronger still as it wafted from the hospital rooms, the beep of machines, bustling of staff, and quiet moans and cries of patients making Yuto’s stomach curl.

Before long they found themselves in an empty room. Daisuke directed Ren to the bed while Yuto sat in one of the chairs nearby.

Yuto silently watched as Daisuke took Ren’s temperature and other vitals. There was a professionalism, yet also a gentleness in the way Daisuke carried out his work that put Yuto somewhat at ease despite himself. For a moment everything else seemed to vanish, leaving the three of them alone in their own world.

“From the looks of it, the main cause of the issue seems to be vocal cord strain,” Daisuke finally said. “Have you been doing a lot of strenuous vocal activity?”

Yuto chewed on his bottom lip as he hesitated. “Well, Ren does sing, and we were actually in the middle of an event when Ren lost his voice.”

“RISE, right? I heard that you were one of the first performers there.”

Yuto’s eyebrows shot up in shock for a moment, before his stomach sank. “So you saw what happened.”

Daisuke turned towards Yuto with an empathetic expression. “You did the best you could, considering the circumstances. Your quick thinking and courage were commendable.”

“Commendable, huh?” Yuto tilted his head quizzically. Part of him almost expected Daisuke to be sarcastic or condescending, yet there was no hint of that at all in either Daisuke’s expression or tone. It surprised Yuto, to say the least.

Finally Yuto ducked his head, finding himself at a loss for words. “…Thanks.”

A small smile flitted across Daisuke’s face. “I mean it. It’s clear you care a lot for your fellow bandmates, and I’m glad you’ve finally found some good friends.”

Yuto’s cheeks flushed as he averted his gaze with a mumble. “Now you’re just flattering me.” Shaking himself off, he glanced over at Ren. “How is he?”

“Thankfully it’s nothing beyond vocal cord strain and swelling,” Daisuke replied as he turned back to Ren. “I highly recommend taking the next two weeks off to rest so your vocal cords can recover.”

Ren nodded in understanding. “Thank you.”

“As for you,” Daisuke said as he turned towards Yuto, “I know this may seem hollow right now, but have faith. Everything is going to be alright.”

Again Yuto could only stare at Daisuke, before reluctantly nodding with a tired smile. “If you say so.”

Drawing in a deep breath, Yuto turned to Ren as the latter sat up and hopped off of the bed. The atmosphere in the room seemed to lift slightly, threads of relief weaving their way through the air.

“The bill will be at the front,” Daisuke said as he turned to heave. “Once you pay, you’ll be good to go.”

“Got it, thanks.” It surprised Yuto how easily the words slipped from his mouth. Even then, an aura of awkwardness still hung in the air.

Yuto’s gaze fell to the ground for a moment before he looked up at Daisuke again. “Daisuke…thank you. For helping Ren, and for your words. They mean a lot.” The words seemed to lodge themselves in his throat – not from resentment or exhaustion, but rather another emotion he could not place.

“I’ll always be here for you.”

Yuto’s lips curled up into a quiet smile as he nodded. “Truly, thank you. You’re the only one who…” He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

It seemed he didn’t need to, as Daisuke nodded in understanding. “Your dream is worth everything. I want to see you hold your head up proud as you walk alongside your fellow bandmates.” Daisuke turned to face Yuto, his voice earnest as he held the latter’s gaze in his own. “You’ve grown so much. And no matter what anyone says, you’re not alone, and you never will be.”

Yuto’s smile widened as he felt a lump in his throat. Immediately he lowered his gaze, hoping neither Ren nor Daisuke saw the tears welling in his eyes.

“What you said means everything to me.” Yuto’s voice was similarly earnest, even as it trembled. He hastily wiped away his tears on his sleeve, then smiled at Daisuke. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Truly.”

“You’re welcome,” Daisuke replied with a gentle smile of his own.

With that they parted ways, Yuto and Ren bidding their goodbyes to Daisuke before heading back to the reception desk to pay and meet up with the others. As Yuto and Ren arrived at the waiting room, Wataru, Rio, and Banri immediately got up and ran over to them.

“How is he?” Wataru asked.

“It’s just vocal cord strain, as you guys said,” Yuto replied, quiet relief in his voice. “The doctor told Ren to take the next two weeks off to rest and heal.”

“That’s a relief to hear,” Banri said. “I knew things were going to turn out okay!”

Yuto couldn’t help a chuckle. “Yeah, I suppose so.”

“By the way, I noticed that you and that doctor seemed to have a sort of connection with each other.” Rio tilted his head thoughtfully. “You both recognized each other – not to mention that you two share similar appearances as well.”

“That was…” Yuto trailed off, then looked up at everyone. “That was my older brother.”

The rest of Argonavis, Ren included, did a simultaneous double-take.

“That was one of your brothers?!” Banri exclaimed incredulously.

“From what you’ve said, you and your family don’t have the best relationship.” Wataru furrowed his brow in concern. “How did things fare with him?”

A grateful smile crossed Yuto’s face as he recalled his brother’s words. “Things turned out pretty well, actually. He was…really supportive of us, more than I ever imagined.”

Ren nodded earnestly. “He took good care of both of us.”

“If you say so,” Wataru replied, his expression still doubtful. “Regardless, things seem to have turned out better than expected – which is good, all things considered.”

Yuto glanced outside the windows at the sky, which was streaked with orange and gold. The sun was setting, day soon giving way to night. “Shall we return home?”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Banri replied as Ren, Wataru, and Rio nodded in agreement.

“Then let’s go.” Yuto sighed tiredly as he walked towards the entrance, the others close behind.

An uneventful van ride later Argonavis arrived at their sharehouse, the sun having all but sunken below the horizon, turning the sky a tranquil dark blue. Though the worst of the shock had passed, the air was still heavy, thoughts on the live still lingering on everyone’s minds.

Dinner was agonizingly quiet, the five too worn out to speak. Even afterward the five drifted in silence, no one having the energy or heart to engage in their usual leisurely activities. Now that they had settled down, the true weight of what had happened pressed down on them, choking their thoughts in a heavy shroud.

Yuto glanced around at everyone sprawled out across the couch, their expressions gloomy. The thought sent his mind spinning, a fire burning up amidst the darkness. He couldn’t bear to see everyone like this. Yet as he opened his mouth to speak, the words died on his lips. Anything encouraging fell flat, and anything comforting sounded hollow. What was there to say?

A movement drew Yuto’s attention. He glanced towards it just in time to see Wataru stand and walk towards the kitchen, a determined look on his face. Curiosity piqued, Yuto stood and followed.

“What are you doing?” Yuto asked as he saw Wataru rummaging through the cabinets and fridge.

Wataru grabbed a carton of milk and a jar of hot cocoa powder and set them on the counter before turning to Yuto. “I can’t bear to see everyone like this, so I thought I’d do something about it.”

Yuto chuckled as he walked over. “Guess we had the same idea. Do you want help?”

“I suppose that’d be appreciated,” Wataru replied, his features relaxing into a grateful smile as he turned towards the counter. “Though, I suppose Rio would probably like decaf better than hot cocoa, right?”

“You think so?”

Wataru shrugged, brow furrowed. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to try.”

Together the two went to work, preparing four mugs of hot chocolate (with extra marshmallows and whipped cream for Wataru) and a mug of decaf for Rio. For a moment Yuto lingered on Rio’s mug with a thoughtful expression. Glancing over to ensure Wataeu wasn’t looking, Yuto added a small spoonful of the hot cocoa powder into Rio’s mug and stirred it quietly. After everything that happened, even Rio deserved some, Yuto thought.

Once they were done, Yuto and Wataru brought the mugs out to the living room, setting them down on the table in front of the couch. At the sight of the hot drinks Ren, Banri, and Rio perked up, grateful smiles crossing their faces.

“That smells amazing!” Ren exclaimed.

Banri nodded in agreement as he grabbed his mug. “Thank you so much, Yuto-kun and Wataru-kun!”

“Wataru gets all the credit,” Yuto replied with a smile. “I just decided to tag along and help.”

“As expected from the two pillars of Argonavis.” Even Rio’s face lit up with a quiet smile. “Your kindness is greatly appreciated.”

Wataru waved away their compliments sheepishly. “Don’t mention it. I just wanted to do something to lift the mood.”

As if in agreement with Wataru’s words, Pon-chan trotted over, hopping onto the couch and curling up next to Ren. Ren chuckled and pet Pon-chan as the others snuggled in closer, drinks in hand. A shroud of warmth wrapped around everyone, cozy and snug as the mood seemed to lift. A comfortable silence settled over them as everyone sipped their drinks, simply content in each other’s presence.

Finally Ren broke the silence as he looked around at everyone. “Thank you again…for earlier today.” He nodded at Yuto, his eyes bright with warmth and gratitude. “Especially to you.”

Yuto shook his head with an abashed smile, his cheeks flushing. “I only did what I could.”

“But if it wasn’t for you, who knows where we would’ve been?” Wataru spread out his hands. “You saved us all back there onstage.”

“Not to mention, the audience definitely looked impressed!” Banri piped up. “You acted like a true leader, for sure!”

“Everyone…”

Yuto drew in a deep breath, then nodded resolutely. “I know things may look a little bleak right now, but I know everything’s going to be alright. All we need to have faith in ourselves and each other, like we always have.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, their gazes determined.

“Goryo is right,” Rio said. “We’ve all come this far, after all – we’ve encountered many hurdles as a band, and we’ve crossed every one of them. I’m confident this one is no different.”

Banri nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! As long as all five of us are together, we can overcome anything thrown our way!”

“Even though we stumbled, all we can do is get up and keep moving forward, step by step.” Wataru swept everyone with his familiar resolute gaze. “We’ve done it before, and we can do it again.”

Yuto felt his heart swell as he gazed around at everyone. Even Ren nodded, eyes burning with a fire that Yuto had never seen before.

Yuto rose to his feet, a resolute fire burning in his chest. “Together, we are Argonavis. No matter how rough the storm, no matter how high the waves, we will all move together as one. We _will_ get through this together.”

“Yeah!”

At Yuto’s words everyone’s voices rose in a rousing shout. The air seemed to shimmer, the shadows of sorrow and despair melting away under the shared flame that burned within everyone – a burning hope and resolve that lit within them anew, propelling them forward.

Through the storm, step by step, all of Argonavis would make their way forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you guys guess who I named Daisuke after?  
> Hint: He plays Yuto's guitars on the real-life stage!


	5. Rising Tide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuto checks the news regarding RISE only to discover a shocking revelation. Things worsen when Argonavis receives a surprise visit from an unwelcome guest.

Despite Yuto’s rousing words the night after RISE, the next few days passed by in a haze. Argonavis made an unspoken rule to avoid checking social media as much as they could, to give themselves time to recover. Surely news of their failed performance had permeated much of the media by now, and none of them knew if they could stomach reading the comments and articles surrounding it.

The mood other than that was quiet, relatively normal all things considered. As if desperate to take their minds off the event, everyone dove into the usual cycle of classes and part-time jobs with a silent, yet palpable fervor. Likewise, practice went on as normal, though altered to accommodate for Ren’s recovery.

To his surprise, Yuto found himself enjoying singing the vocal solo parts more than he expected – a fact that Ren seemed equally pleased about. At the end of every song, Ren would always quietly applaud and gush over everyone’s performances, which always brought smiles to their faces. It was surprising just how resilient Ren was – or seemed to be.

Despite this, Yuto couldn’t help but feel a touch uneasy about all of this. To Ren, singing was everything – thus, Yuto imagined that Ren losing one of the things that mattered to him the most would be nothing short of a devastating blow. To be honest, Yuto was almost half-expecting Ren to be envious of Yuto singing in his place, as silly as it sounded.

But instead, Ren seemed to be acting as normal as he could be – greeting his friends with his usual (though somewhat subdued) cheer, going to classes and work, helping around the sharehouse, and playing with Pon-chan. Come to think of it, everyone seemed to be playing with and spoiling Pon-chan quite a bit more than usual those past few days, Yuto himself included. There was always something about that adorable husky puppy that seemed to comfort and lift everyone’s spirits.

Regardless, Yuto couldn’t help but wonder if Ren was putting on a facade of normalcy, if not more so than the others. It just didn’t make sense that Ren could bounce back so quickly after such a devastating event – especially considering what happened at the live itself.

Flashbacks of Ren’s panicked, tearful expression resurfaced in Yuto’s mind, sending a knife-sharp jolt through Yuto’s gut. Instinctively he shook off the thoughts, trying to steer his mind towards more neutral topics. Was Ren putting up a facade to soothe the others’ worries? Was it out of guilt? Was it something else altogether?

That issue aside, everyone seemed to be taking the events of RISE surprisingly in stride, vowing to move past it as smoothly as they could. Ever since the night after RISE itself, no one had brought it up even once. It was almost as if they were trying to sweep it under the rug and forget it had ever happened.

So why was it continuing to bother him so?

Idly Yuto turned to his laptop and began to scroll. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a link about RISE. Yuto immediately went to click away, but curiosity nagged at him. Ever since that day, they had avoided any news regarding RISE at all costs. Yet right now the curiosity was growing stronger, mingling with a potent fear that sent waves of bitterness on the back of Yuto’s tongue.

Clenching his jaw, Yuto clicked on the link, bracing himself as it loaded. Already his stomach was tying itself into knots, nervous nausea threatening to rise to his throat. Yuto grit his teeth and gulped it down, closing his eyes and drawing a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself.

When he opened his eyes, the article had loaded. Yuto began to read, his stomach flipping as his eyes nervously flitted across the words. To his surprise, the article seemed relatively neutral, simply stating that the vocalist had lost their voice due to a mishap, yet the performance was kept going thanks to intervention on behalf of the other members. Despite himself, Yuto couldn’t help a small smile flitting across his face.

Before Yuto knew it he had made his way down to the bottom of the page. He was about to close out of the tab when something caught his eye.

“A link to a video?”

Immediately Yuto froze, his stomach dropping. Of course it was to be expected – after all, RISE was not only a live event in itself, but it was also streamed online for those who were unable to make it.

But that meant…

Yuto’s mouth grew dry as his breathing quickened, his heart hammering against his ribcage. It meant that not just only those at the event saw it, but everyone who watched the online stream as well. Its effects reached further than Yuto had anticipated.

Yuto curled a hand into a fist as he clicked on the link. A new tab opened, and before long a video of RISE began to play. Yuto could only watch, transfixed despite every part of his body screaming at him to look away, to close the tab – to escape.

Before long the fated moment came, the music grinding to a confused halt as Ren’s voice cracked and broke. Looking at it now, from the perspective of the audience, he could see just how much it impacted them. Yuto’s cheeks flushed as he watched himself run over to Ren, the others watching in concern.

Finally, Yuto tore his eyes away from the video and muted his laptop before scrolling down, unable to bear watching nor listening any longer. Immediately he cursed silently, berating himself as he found himself staring down the video’s comment section.

The first comment Yuto saw made his stomach drop.

“‘What were they thinking, going up onstage only to make a fool of themselves?’”

Yuto could only stare at the words numbly, icy shock overtaking him.

He scrolled down to the number of replies to find that they numbered in the hundreds. Again morbid curiosity tugged at him, even though Yuto knew there was no way he was going to be able to read them all – and perhaps it was better not to.

Despite every part of him urging him to turn back, the curiosity tugged at him stronger and stronger, until Yuto succumbed and opened the thread. Almost immediately he regretted his decision as he found himself in the midst of a comment flame war.

While there were quite a host of supportive comments rebutting the original poster, it wasn't long before the insults towards Argonavis itself swept them away. Even as his breath lodged in his throat and his heart hammered in his chest, Yuto was unable to stop reading.

“I can’t believe this…”

“What is it, Yu?” Already Wataru was at his side, his voice full of concern.

Grimly Yuto scrolled through the thread, each comment a knife to his gut.

“‘Good riddance, I never liked Argonavis anyway.’, ‘Anyone else could’ve done better than they did’, ‘I hope they cancel their next live…’” Wataru’s voice tightened in that familiar way in which he tried to keep seething rage under the surface. “What are they saying?!”

Yuto closed out of the thread in a panic, only to be confronted with more comments of the same. Even though he knew it’d be futile, Yuto continued to scroll blindly, the words stringing together in a numb blur. Finally, he grit his teeth and slammed his laptop shut, the sudden clap causing even him to jump.

“Yu!” Wataru’s cry of surprise snapped Yuto out of his daze.

Yuto could only clench a fist as he stared down at his desk, his breathing ragged as he struggled against the fire roiling in him. For them to say such cruel things after what happened…

“Are you alright?” Wataru hesitantly ventured.

_“I’m not!”_

Before Yuto realized it he had turned on Wataru with a fury that sent the latter stumbling back, eyes wide in shock. Yuto froze, his own eyes growing wide as he realized what he had done.

Wataru trembled as he raised his hands, his voice hoarse. “Yu…I get you’re angry, but this isn’t like you at all…”

“Sorry.” Yuto sighed as he stepped back and shook his head, clenching his jaw. “I…I need to go think about how we’re going to tell the others.”

With that Yuto turned on his heel and stalked off to his room, leaving Wataru to stare worriedly after him.

Closing the door to his room, Yuto trudged over to his bed and sprawled out upon it with a sigh. His gaze aimlessly wandered the ceiling as the comments from before ran through his mind over and over in a torturous loop. Negative comments in general were to be expected – after all, musical tastes were subjective – but for them to appear after such a spectacularly failed live was almost too much.

Yuto sighed as he thought about how to break the news. Best to do it directly, lest beating around the bush would only make the truth sting more. Banri and Rio would surely be angry, with the former shouting up a storm much like Yuto himself did. Ren, on the other hand…

Heaving, Yuto rolled over on his side, chewing on his lip. No matter what way they looked at it, there was going to be conflict one way or the other. Guess he might as well break it to them as simply and cleanly as he could. Part of him sensed that they already knew that those kinds of comments were going to come in – after all, they couldn’t hide from social media forever – but they were likely too afraid of dragging the already forlorn mood down even further.

Yuto perked up as he heard the sharehouse’s entrance door open, followed by Ren’s, Banri’s, and Rio’s cheery greetings. The knots in his stomach tightened further as he lowered his head to his chest. There was only one way out.

Reluctantly Yuto stretched out with a loud groan, then swung his feet up and hopped off of the bed. Pressing his lips together, he opened the door and made his way down the stairs to the living room, eyes downcast in thought.

“Hey, Yuto-kun,” Banri said with a cheery wave.

“Huh?” Yuto startled and blinked as he glanced up, then smiled back wanly. “Oh…Welcome back, guys.”

Banri’s expression immediately morphed into worry. “Yuto-kun? What’s wrong?”

“That look on your face does not bode good news.” Rio furrowed his brow, his gaze seeming to search Yuto’s face.

Ren tilted his head, concern audible even as he rasped. “Did something happen?”

Yuto exchanged a silent glance with Wataru, the latter downtrodden as he looked away.

Banri’s eyes widened as he glanced between Yuto and Wataru. “Don’t tell me you two got into a fight or something. I know the past few days have been stressful, but—”

“We didn’t,” Yuto snapped abruptly, his voice painfully loud as it cleaved the air. Catching himself, he exhaled silently and shook his head. “Sorry. I just…We both saw something, and…”

“And what?” Rio inquired.

“It was a video a news site posted of our performance in RISE,” Wataru replied, his voice dripping with bitterness. “The comments there…”

Ren lowered his head in realization. “They were talking about us…weren’t they?”

Yuto could only nod. “Not just that, many of them were insulting us, saying that we weren’t fit for RISE or the Live Royale Fest.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Banri asked incredulously.

“I’m one hundred percent serious,” Wataru growled.

Whipping around, Yuto grabbed his laptop and sat on the couch. “Maybe it’s best you see for yourselves.”

The others crowded around him with apprehensive expressions as he navigated to the video. As the video began to play, Yuto scrolled down to the comments, fire roiling inside of him as he clenched his jaw.

“What the…?!” Banri’s voice was low with shock and anger. “This can’t be!”

Rio’s voice hardened as he audibly clenched a fist. “The things they’re saying are so cruel…”

“You don’t say,” Yuto muttered.

Out of the corner of his eye Yuto saw Ren hang his head, his gaze downcast. There was a tiredness, almost a sort of agonized resignation, to Ren’s expression.

“Ren?” Yuto ventured hesitantly.

“This was all my fault…” Ren’s voice trembled as he raised his head to face Yuto. “I cost us an important opportunity, and caused those people to say those things about us…” His voice tightened as he trailed off, his frame trembling.

Rio stared at Ren quietly. “Nanahoshi…”

“None of this was your fault!” Yuto interjected, his voice coming out louder than he’d like. “If anything, as the leader of the band, _I_ should take the blame.”

“Yu’s right.” Wataru gently placed a hand on Ren’s shoulder. “You losing your voice was entirely out of your control. Besides, we all did the best we could despite the circumstances.”

“What about other news sites?” Banri asked. “Surely not _all_ of them are saying things like this, right?”

“It seems the news has spread to almost all social media platforms,” Rio quietly said as he held up his phone. “It seems people have mixed views regarding what happened, but there do seem to be comments praising Goryo’s quick save as well.”

Yuto blinked. “Really?”

“Well, at least we know it’s not all bad after all.” Wataru ran one hand through his hair with a tired sigh. “But even then, we need to be careful lest—”

Before anyone could say any more there was a sharp rap at the door. Everyone startled, glancing at each other in concern.

“Someone’s here.” Rio narrowed his eyes warily.

“It’d better not be a news station coming to interview us about what happened at RISE,” Banri added as he grit his teeth. “What are they thinking, barging into our sharehouse like this?”

Everyone jumped as the rap came again, louder this time. Pon-chan uttered a nervous growl, hackles raised as he glared at the door warily.

Ren glanced at the door nervously. “It doesn’t look like we have a choice.”

Yuto rose to his feet. “I’ll go get it.”

Quickly he strode over to the door and peeked through the peephole. “Who’s there?”

Silence.

Gritting his teeth, Yuto sighed and opened the door. “Whoever you are, we don’t have time for—”

The next words lodged in his throat as he came face-to-face with the man before him. Yuto’s eyes widened, his heart jumping to his throat as he recognized the familiar face, the clean suit, and the sharp, stern gaze. It couldn’t be…

_“Dad?!”_


	6. Impetuous Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To the band’s shock, Yuto’s father appears with harsh words for Argonavis. As tempers rise, the band threatens to crumble under the strain…

Yuto stared in wide-eyed shock at the man in front of him, the latter’s stern gaze seeming to bore into Yuto’s very soul.

“Dad…” Yuto barely managed to get out. “What are you…?”

“You very well know why I am here,” his father replied. “Surely you saw the recent news, did you not?”

“The news about RISE, you mean?”

“The very same.”

Yuto clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes. “What I do with Argonavis is none of your business – especially after you explicitly stated so long ago that you wanted nothing to do with me. So what are you doing here now?”

The only response was a knifelike glare that pierced Yuto’s soul. Yuto grit his teeth, even as his body trembled. He knew that look all too well.

“Who are you?” Wataru joined Yuto, his voice low and wary. “And what are you doing at our sharehouse?”

“I just simply wanted to talk about this band of yours,” Yuto’s father replied as he jutted a finger at Yuto. “As well as this insolent young man that dares call himself their leader.”

“That’s exactly what he is!” Wataru hissed. “Without him, we wouldn’t be here!”

“And you’ve wasted far too much of your time playing with the likes of them, don’t you think?” Yuto’s father glared them down icily, his tone dripping with bitterness. “Running blindly through the city, wasting time and money practicing and playing at those live houses, and for what? To embarrass yourselves onstage at an event televised in front of thousands?”

“We were doing our best!” Yuto shouted. “Besides, this was—” Immediately he caught himself as he realized what he was going to say next.

“It wasn’t your fault, Yu.” Wataru placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Yuto could only clench his jaw and look away.

“Very kind of your friend to defend you.” Yuto’s father gazed past them, eyes narrowing as they fell on Ren, Banri, and Rio. “So those are the rest of them. The famed ‘Argonavis’, finally making their way to the _Live Royale Festival.”_ He spat out the last three words as if they were particularly vile invectives. “Those dreams of yours are worth nothing. Give up on them before it’s too late and you all embarrass yourselves further.”

“How dare you say that?!” Banri’s cry tore through the air as he stormed up to the door. “We’ve been through so much worse than this – even before this, we’ve been through so much, and yet Yuto-kun was always there for us, pulling us forward! He – no, all of us – share the same dreams, and nothing anyone else says will convince us to give up on them!”

“Your words are easy to say, yet rarely do people ever have the guts to go through with them,” Yuto’s father replied coolly as he folded his arms. “Such drivel is the word of naive hopefuls who are blindly grasping at nothing, stumbling their way forward as you are. You have nothing to show for them but wasted potential.”

_Wasted. Pity. Failure. Useless._

Each word was a knife stabbing at Yuto’s heart, sending his body trembling as roaring emotions clashed within. Fear, anger, and guilt swirled in a bubbling whirlpool that set him aflame.

“Now don’t get me wrong, I was supportive of your dream at first,” Yuto’s father continued, his voice unnervingly calm amidst the tense air. “And I would’ve continued to support you if you actually put effort into it – as your brothers did with their studies.”

“What do you think we’ve been doing this whole time?!” Yuto finally snapped, his voice rising to a screech. “You think that we were playing all those shows, doing all of this practice together, for nothing?!”

“With all due respect, sir, you are contradicting yourself with your words.” Though Rio maintained an air of politeness, his tone was stone cold as he pinned Yuto’s father with an icy glare. “Furthermore, if you came here just to start an altercation, I highly suggest you leave before we involve the authorities.”

“Oh, that won’t be necessary.” Yuto’s father brushed off Rio’s words with a wave of his hand. “All I wanted here was a…talk, if you will. However, it seems that none of you are willing to listen.”

“Why would we listen to someone like you?” Wataru snapped. “All you’re doing is spouting rubbish!”

Yuto’s father pressed his lips together in a thin line. “You would blindly place your trust in a fool like him?”

Wataru bristled in response, eyes blazing. “He’s no fool – he’s one of my closest friends!”

Wataru’s words were met with a scornful scoff as Yuto’s father folded his arms across his chest. “I have to say, I pity you all. At least it looks like you have better faith and judgment than my own son. Say, you might even be a better leader than him.”

“There’s no way that’s true…!” Even Ren finally spoke up, projecting the best he could. “It was all due to Yuto that Argonavis was formed in the first place. Without him, we never would’ve met each other! It was due to Yuto’s faith in all of us and our dreams that we’re here now!”

“And how far will you be willing to follow this foolish dream of his?” Yuto’s father replied. “He has tried and failed to achieve said dream many times over – what makes you think this time will be different?”

“Because I believe in it as much as they do.”

Yuto startled as a familiar voice cut through the din. Before he could ask who it was, Daisuke stepped out behind Yuto’s father, glaring the latter down.

“Daisuke…!” Yuto’s eyes widened. “What are you doing here?”

“Defending the dream you have every right to have,” Daisuke replied grimly as he pinned Yuto’s father with a steely gaze that made even Yuto’s gut curl.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” Yuto’s father was unruffled as he met Daisuke’s gaze. “I have to admit, I’m surprised that you showed up.”

“You have no right to say those things about either Yuto or Argonavis.” Daisuke clenched a fist, his frame rigid as he drew to his full height. “I’ve seen them and how far they’ve come. Sure, they might have screwed up back there, but they sure as hell deserved to stand on RISE’s stage, and they _damn_ sure tried their hardest despite what happened!”

“I see you haven’t given up that side of yours,” Yuto’s father replied with equal parts pity and condescension. “Perhaps you may have been right before, but if you’ll allow me to be frank, Argonavis’s vocalist losing his voice in front of thousands is nothing short of an enormous failure. How long will it be until they fail again? What if they fall even lower?”

“Because every time they fall, they’ve always stood back up and kept going,” Daisuke replied as he spread out his hands. “They never gave up, no matter how difficult the challenge, no matter how much the odds were stacked against them. And knowing them, I don’t see them giving up here, either.” Daisuke continued as he nodded towards Ren. “Sure, the loss of their vocalist’s voice is a big setback, there’s no denying that. But they have each other, and I’m sure they’ll get through this together.”

Yuto felt his heart swell, myriad emotions swirling within his chest, “Daisuke…”

All the rest of Argonavis could do was watch in stunned silence, the intensity of Daisuke’s words sending shivers down Yuto’s spine. Deep inside, he was immensely grateful for the show of support – even if it was unexpected.

Even Yuto’s father seemed to be momentarily at a loss of words, only responding to Daisuke’s speech with a stony gaze. A brief, yet tense beat suspended itself in the air, silence ringing in Yuto’s ears as it filled the room.

“It seems you’re unable to see the truth as well, even when the evidence is right in front of you,” Yuto’s father finally said, his voice bitter. “Either that or you are willingly blinding yourself to it, too afraid to see Argonavis for what it is – nothing but a deluded fantasy, doomed to failure from the start.”

“For the last time, _Argonavis is not a failure!”_ Yuto’s voice rose to a screech as he lunged forward, gesticulating sharply with one hand.

“Then what would you call that incident at RISE, if not a failure?!” his father roared with an intensity that made Yuto’s stomach drop. Instinctively Yuto shrunk back, as if he had been slapped. Faintly he could hear Pon-chan growling and whining fearfully in the background behind them.

As if noticing Yuto’s mood, Rio drew to his full height, curling one hand into a fist. “It’s but a stumbling block. Yes, it may be a bigger one than what we’ve expected. But as we told you over and over before, we will get through it, as we have always done.”

“You call that a stumbling block? To me that looks more like carelessness, if not outright neglect!” Yuto’s father jutted a finger forcefully at Ren. “You knowingly let your vocalist go on stage, knowing they’d lose their voice in front of thousands of people, and you call that an accident?! If I were them, I’d have you kicked out of this band immediately!”

Yuto froze as an icy wave crashed down upon him. Even as his body quivered with rage, it was immediately choked with shock and fear, stunning him into helpless silence.

“Th-that’s not true…” Yuto barely managed to get out as he hung his head. “I…It was just a mistake—”

“One that caused you and your band to become nothing short of a laughingstock!” Yuto’s father shouted over him, his voice thundering in Yuto’s ears.

“That’s quite enough now, don’t you think?” Daisuke’s voice was calm, yet steely as he tugged Yuto’s father back. “To be frank, you’re just wasting your breath here.”

Yuto’s father simply ignored Daisuke, the former’s gaze fixed solely on Argonavis. “Mark my words – chasing that deluded dream of yours, you’ll meet nothing but failure and suffering. RISE is but one example of that. If you continue running down this path, you’ll soon find a time when you’ll lose everyone and everything close to you – your family, your bandmates, your dreams – and you’ll have no one but yourself to blame for that.”

With that Yuto’s father brushed past Daisuke and strode off, his final words hanging in the hollow, empty air.

Yuto leaned against the doorframe, his head spinning as his legs threatened to give out under him. The sunlight streamed in, harsh and blinding as he lowered his head to the ground. All traces of logical thought had fled, leaving only the throbbing pulse of his blood pounding in his ears.

What on earth just happened?

Slowly Yuto raised his head, vaguely aware of his trembling body. He squeezed his eyes shut as his cheeks flushed with shame, vaguely aware of his friends’ concerned gazes.

“I’m sorry.”

Yuto stiffened and glanced over at Daisuke in confusion.

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t do more.” Daisuke’s voice was quiet as he bowed his head, his expression mirroring Yuto’s.

Yuto numbly shook his head, his voice dull. “It’s fine. The fact that you showed up at all was more than enough.”

“Not only that, you defended our dignity – especially Goryo’s – when we needed it most,” Rio chimed in. “That to us is momentous.”

“If I only knew he was coming here earlier…” Daisuke muttered under his breath.

Yuto offered Daisuke a weak, but grateful smile. “Seriously though, you arriving to support us was more than we could ask for. If you weren’t here, I…” He trailed off as his stomach sank.

“I know my words may sound hollow after what just happened, but try to keep your chin up.” Daisuke’s voice softened as he placed a comforting hand on Yuto’s shoulder. “I’ve seen you and Argonavis – you’re tougher than you know. But it’s alright to feel your emotions too. Cry if you need to – don’t bottle them up. Your bandmates and I are all here for you.”

Yuto could only nod tiredly in response. He felt completely drained, his mind drifting in a void of its own.

Daisuke glanced at his watch with a grimace. “I’m sorry for the sudden interruption, but I have to leave for my shift. I promise I’ll call in later to check up on you – how’s that sound?”

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Yuto replied quietly. “Thanks.”

Daisuke nodded at the rest of Argonavis. “Take care of Yuto, alright?”

Out of the corner of his eye, Yuto could see Wataru nod solemnly. “We’ll do our best.”

Daisuke gave Wataru a grateful smile. “Thank you. That’s all I ask.”

Yuto silently watched as Daisuke turned and walked off, waving over his shoulder as he did so. For a long moment Yuto raised his head to the sun, closing his eyes and letting red and orange shadows play over his eyelids as its warmth shone upon his face. Finally, he lowered his head and stepped back inside, closing the door with a heavy _thud._

As Yuto turned back towards the others his body went into autopilot, his legs dragging him to the living room. As soon as he arrived at the couch Yuto’s legs gave out underneath him as he slumped into the cushions, silence ringing louder in his ears with every second. His mind spun, the pounding in his skull driving away all rational thought.

For his father to show up so abruptly and to say such cruel things about Argonavis…

Yuto could only bury his head in his hands as a choked sob escaped, tears flowing freely down his face. He hated how helpless he felt in the face of all this – every effort at fighting back only worsened the blows.

“Yu…” Wataru’s voice was barely audible, soft with worry.

The room fell silent as Yuto’s desolate sobs filled the air. It was as if a dam inside Yuto had shattered, his emotions flooding out in an overwhelming torrent. He could no longer hold back his tears as the sea of despair seemed to swallow him completely.

Through the noise, Yuto was vaguely aware of the others gathering close, Wataru sitting down next to him.

“Yu, it’ll be okay,” Wataru said weakly. “We’re all here.”

Yuto flinched as Wataru placed an arm around his shoulder. He felt stifled, as if everything were closing in around him. It was already too much, far too much—

_“Don’t touch me!”_

The shout rang through the air with an intensity that made everyone jump as Yuto roughly shoved Wataru away and scrambled to the other end of the couch, arms protectively hugging his chest. The others gaped in shock, eyes wide.

“Yuto-kun…” Banri ventured weakly. “What’s going on?”

Yuto trembled, his breathing ragged as he turned away, at a loss for words. What could he even say right now?

The others glanced at each other, brows furrowed in concern.

“Goryo, we…” Even Rio seemed to be at a loss of what to say. “What your father said was nothing short of untrue, not to mention cruel. You’re not a failure, nor are you a burden to us.”

“That’s easy for you to say.” The words left a phantom bitterness on Yuto’s tongue as he grit his teeth, exhaustion and frustration rolling together into a ball of tumult.

“We’re saying this because it’s true. You’ve never been a burden to us.” Ren spread out his hands empathetically. “You’re the entire reason why Argonavis exists – if anything, we’re grateful for you.”

“And if anything, I’ll be the reason we all fail.” Yuto’s tone rose as he retorted. “I was the reason Ren lost his voice on stage at RISE. I should’ve paid more attention. I shouldn’t have been so careless, especially when it came to one of our own bandmates!” His voice cracked on the last words, breaking off into a strangled sob.

“It wasn’t your fault, Yuto!” Even though Ren’s voice was hoarse, it still carried an intensity that gave Yuto pause. “If anything, it was mine, for going onstage despite everyone’s objections – despite the fear that I’d lose my voice in the end.” Ren paused, panting raggedly as he caught his breath. “But I did it anyway, because I had you. Because as long as we were all together, there was nothing to worry about.”

Yuto curled his hands into fists, digging his nails painfully into his palms. “You’re kidding, right? From the start, all I did was drag you all down with my annoying blathering, barging into your rooms blindly to ask you to be part of my band. I was clinging to a blind hope that after what happened with my old band, I could still create something new.”

“And you did,” Banri replied. “You brought all of us together into Argonavis, and thanks to you we’ve come this far.”

“But how much longer will it be until something causes us to fracture?” Yuto squeezed his eyes shut, praying the darkness would block out the painful reminders. “Every time something bad happens to someone in the band, it was always my fault. My old bandmates left because I couldn’t keep up with them. What’s to say that in the end, you’ll do the same?”

“We’ll never do that!” Everyone jumped as Rio’s voice carried over Yuto’s, a dagger’s edge that pierced Yuto’s heart.

“Rio…”

“It was thanks to you all that I found my passion again.” Rio’s usually calm voice was charged with emotion, tightening as if he might cry. “For you to say those about yourself is…”

Yuto bowed his head, hot tears pricking his eyes. His throat had all but closed up, his ears overtaken by a low, stifling drone. His father’s words rang faintly through the noise, hot spears through his gut. No matter how the others put it, his father was right. Up to now, Yuto had only led the others through blind luck and faith, pushing through any obstacle they met with their music. Now he could see everything crumbling in front of his eyes. If they were to continue under his leadership, it wouldn’t be long until there was nothing left.

Yuto slowly dragged himself to his feet, his head bowed. Though the mere thought of saying those words was enough to shatter his heart, he had to say them here and now. There was no more turning back.

“I’m withdrawing from Argonavis – for real this time.”

Every word rang hollow and heavy in his ears as he forced them out, his voice drained of conviction. Even as the last word fell from his lips, he could feel a weight settle in his stomach, causing it to sink yet further.

“Those words again…” Wataru walked up to Yuto and placed both hands on his shoulders. “You know that we won’t let you do that!”

“And if I do anyway?” Yuto retorted.

“Then we’ll do anything we can to get you back!” Banri replied. “We’ve done it once, and we will do it again!”

Yuto couldn’t help a small smile as the street live of _Meteor Shower_ resurfaced in his mind. “You really will, huh?”

“Why won’t we? We’re your friends, after all.” Ren’s eyes shone with a familiar determination as he surprised Yuto with a reassuring smile. “And friends look out for each other, no matter what.”

 _You always say those things like you’re so sure,_ Yuto thought to himself. Yet he could only shake his head as another wave of emotion crested and washed over him. One moment everyone was shouting, the din of their voices filling the room, the next they were comforting him with reassuring smiles and kind words. His mind was spinning so hard he could barely gather his thoughts.

What did he do to deserve all of this?

Slowly Yuto shook his head in a half-hearted attempt to clear it. The air was still save for everyone’s quiet breathing, their uneven cadence adding to the uneasy atmosphere.

Finally, Yuto rose to his feet and gently pulled away from Wataru. “I’m sorry. I…I need to go.”

Before anyone could stop him Yuto bolted past his friends to the door and flung it wide open, charging out into the open air without a second thought.

 _“Yu!”_ Wataru’s cry carried through the air as he chased after.

Blindly Yuto pounded through the streets, ignoring his friends’ shouts as he swerved through passerby. His vision blurred dangerously with tears as he stumbled and fell to the concrete. Gritting his teeth through the pain, Yuto scrambled to his feet and continued running. He didn’t care where he was going – he just needed to run.

Finally Yuto found himself at the park, where he slowed down and halted at one of the benches. Numbly he slumped down, breathing heavily as his lungs screamed for air. His efforts were rewarded with a throbbing headache as his blood continued to pound in his ears. Yuto placed both hands to his head and massaged his temples in an attempt to relieve it.

“Yu!”

Yuto stiffened as Wataru’s voice floated over to him. Tiredly Yuto raised his head and looked towards the sound to see Wataru jogging over, clearly out of breath.

“Wataru?” Yuto knit his brows together. “Why’d you follow me?”

“Cause there’s no way I’m leaving you like this!” Wataru’s response came out in a short burst before he doubled over, panting.

Yuto looked away with a bitter grumble. “Couldn’t you tell I wanted to be alone?”

“I already said, I’m not leaving you alone!” Wataru walked over to the bench and sat down next to Yuto. “Not until we talk this out, at least!”

“What more is there to talk about? I said I was withdrawing from Argonavis, didn’t I?”

“And yet your eyes and voice say otherwise. In truth, you want to stay with us, don’t you?”

Yuto clenched his jaw, trembling silently. “Even if I do, I’m just a burden to you all, and nothing you say will change that.”

“Doesn’t matter. We’ve come this far, with our faith in each other, and none of that will change now.”

Those damned words again.

Yuto clenched his teeth so hard he thought they’d shatter under the pressure as he curled his hands into fists. “Repeating that won’t magically make everything better, you know.”

“But it’s true!” Wataru spread out his hands empathetically. “After, all, it was fate that we met—”

“Don’t use my words against me!” Yuto snapped as he whirled on Wataru.

“I’m saying so because I believe in them!” The intensity of Wataru’s voice rose to match Yuto’s. “Can’t you at least believe in yourself a little as well?!”

“And what? Have my blind belief drag us all down a path of misery?” The fire in Yuto flared higher and threatened to engulf him, hot tears pricking his eyes. “I’d rather quit than have you all suffer because of me!”

“And yet what is Argonavis without you?” Wataru cried. _“You’re_ the one who formed Argonavis after all – without you, we wouldn’t even exist!”

_“Then maybe it was a mistake that we formed!”_

The words flew from Yuto’s mouth before he could stop himself. Immediately he froze in realization, clapping a hand over his mouth.

Wataru stared at Yuto, eyes wide in shock. “You’re saying…that our friendships were a mistake…?”

“No, I…” Even as Yuto frantically waved his hands and shook his head, it was too late. The damage had been done.

Wataru silently lowered his head, his expression unreadable. Yet Yuto could see his frame trembling, and he thought he saw tears fall onto the bench below.

“To say something like this…Why would you…” Wataru whispered between choked sobs, his voice cracking audibly.

“No, I didn’t mean that at all!” Yuto’s voice rose desperately as he spread out his hands. “I just meant that…” He soon trailed off as his throat closed up, all other words fleeing him.

“For someone like you to throw away our friendships on a whim like this, after everything all of us have been through together…” Wataru glared up at Yuto, eyes blazing. “I’ll never forgive you for it!”

“Wataru!” Yuto shouted as he stood. “I—”

Yuto startled as Wataru leapt to his feet, stalking towards Yuto with a vengeful expression. “If this band was a mistake, if our friendships were a mistake, then so are both of us – and we both made a mistake when we decided to form this damn band.” Wataru gesticulated sharply, his voice cracking as tears streamed visibly down his face. “If that’s how you feel, then I wish we had never met at all!”

Before Yuto could react Wataru spun on his heel and ran off down the path, leaving his final words to ring in empty air. Yuto could only stare at the spot where Wataru just stood, mouth agape in stunned silence.

“Wataru…” The name came out a bare whisper, nearly inaudible even to Yuto himself.

His head hung as his legs gave out under him once again, leaving him to crumple on the bench. His ears filled with a low, whining drone as silence shrouded him, ringing far too loudly for comfort.

A broken sob slipped free as Yuto buried his head in his hands. After everything that had happened – Ren losing his voice, failing RISE, and an argument with his own father, the very fabric of the band itself and the friendships everyone shared was tearing apart.

All Yuto could do was sob helplessly, apologizing over and over again.


	7. Lost in the Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stunned and devastated by Yuto’s words, Wataru numbly wanders the streets. As it begins to rain, he is surprised to come across a familiar face.

Wataru’s eyes blurred with tears as he pounded his way down the streets. His head was spinning a mile a minute, thoughts screaming in a chaotic jumble as they rattled around painfully in his skull.

What was Yuto thinking, saying such things?!

Fury clashed with regret, the two emotions wrestling with each other as adrenaline surged through Wataru and spurred him onwards.

If Yuto truly thought that Argonavis was a mistake and that he was better off alone, then so be it. Wataru would simply take over as Argonavis’s leader, and find another guitarist to replace Yuto, and they would continue as always.

No, there was no way they could do that. Rather, the band would simply dissolve – there was no way Argonavis would be able to go on without all five of them.

At that thought something clicked, causing Wataru to grind to a screeching halt. Those feelings, those same thoughts were eerily reminiscent of the first time Yuto tried to pull out a year ago – except that everyone banded together to convince Yuto that he was worth it, that Argonavis was worth it. That time, Wataru’s first thoughts were pulling his friend back from the brink of despair, of showing him that with the rest of Argonavis, everything was going to be okay – that they could do it together.

And yet right now, things were almost flipped – no, rather something within them had changed.

The thought that Yuto would so willingly throw away everything because of what happened…

No. That wasn’t right at all.

Wataru stared up at the sky, where dark clouds were beginning to gather. He then looked around at the streets in silence. People bustled about their business as normal, paying no attention to a young man standing dejectedly at the intersection. Drawing in a deep breath, Wataru resumed wandering, his gaze lowered to the ground.

It made no sense that Yuto would suddenly decide to throw away friendships he treasured so much over a single failed live. After all, they had been through so much worse, and they all came out of it stronger together. What would make the incident at RISE any different?

Even as Wataru asked himself the question, he already knew the answer deep down. It was so much more than just RISE – and in truth, Yuto wasn’t throwing away their friendships at all. Rather, it was Yuto’s low self-esteem talking – the voices that stung Yuto’s mind, constantly telling him they were not enough, had all but embedded in him by now, always whispering in the darkness and lunging out when stormy times struck. Over and over again Wataru watched it play out – from Yuto telling Wataru about the latter’s experiences with Yuto’s old band, to after they performed the opening act to GYROAXIA, and even the months following the incident at the Destiny Rock Festival. Over and over again the darkness snuck in, attempting to overtake Yuto and bring him down – but each time Yuto was able to fight back, with his friends’ help.

But this time, it seemed as if the darkness within Yuto had won.

Wataru shook his head, internally berating himself. Why did he jump to such a hasty conclusion? All he had done was succeed in making things worse – not only between the band, but between Yuto and himself as well. The two were the pillars of Argonavis, and Wataru well knew that – if they fell apart, it wouldn’t be long before the others followed.

Wataru startled at pinpricks of cold on his neck. Glancing up, he found himself staring at an overcast sky thick with dark clouds. A chilly wind blew, heavy with the scent of rain. There was no doubt a storm was coming.

The drone of rain pattering against the ground soon rose, ice-cold drops soaking through Wataru’s clothes. The ground below him grew dark and slick with moisture, a hazy mist filling the air. Of course it had to be the time Wataru came out without an umbrella – nevermind the fact that he was too busy chasing after Yuto to realize.

For a moment Wataru thought about returning to the sharehouse but quickly decided against it – the atmosphere there was no doubt painfully awkward after the arguments that took place, and the last thing he needed right now was any reminders of that. Besides, it was still in the middle of the afternoon, and there was nothing to do there anyway.

Sighing, Wataru silently made his way through the streets, pulling his hood up to protect his head from the rain as he hunched over. The air was soon awash in silver, the rain’s scent washing through the air as colorful splashes of stoplights and car headlights danced off of the dark, wet asphalt. For a moment Wataru stopped to gaze around at his surroundings, a quiet wonder calming the storm of emotions within him. It was almost a mesmerizingly beautiful, yet sobering sight.

Wataru turned a corner, only to stop as he felt a sharp chill below him. Glancing down, he saw one foot had landed in a deep puddle, the water seeping through his sneaker and sock. Wataru drew his foot back with a sigh and looked around. It seemed the only direction he could take was back around the way he came.

The sound of a revving engine drew Wataru from his thoughts. Glancing up, he watched as a red car pulled over to the sidewalk next to him. He tilted his head warily, surprise mingling with confusion. Who could this be?

As he was about to back away, the window on the passenger seat rolled down, revealing a familiar face at the wheel.

“Nii-san?”

Kenta looked Wataru over worriedly, then nodded towards the door. “Want a ride?”

“Um…” Wataru blinked, momentarily at a loss for words.

“I can drive you to wherever you’re going,” Kenta continued. “It’ll be faster, and besides you’ll be out of the rain.”

“Well, I’m not exactly going anywhere,” Wataru replied tiredly. “I’m just…taking a walk to clear my head.”

Kenta nodded sympathetically. “Even then, I can’t leave you with that look on your face.”

Wataru suppressed a chuckle at Kenta’s statement. “I suppose so.”

Wataru glanced at the open seat again, shivering as a sharp wind blew the hood of his jacket off. The rain was getting stronger now, lashing mercilessly at Wataru’s face and hair. It seemed there was no choice – besides, the warm seat of a car was tempting nonetheless.

Smiling gratefully, Wataru opened the car door and hopped in, breathing a sigh of relief as a blast of warm air from the car’s heater hit his face. He quickly slammed the door shut and settled in, feeling the chill leave his body little by little even as his waterlogged clothes clung to him.

“What are you doing out here anyway?” Wataru inquired, watching as Kenta drove back into the rain.

“I needed to pick up some groceries for the sharehouse.” Kenta nodded towards the rearview mirror. “I was lucky enough to grab them before the rain hit.”

Peeking into it, Wataru thought he could spot multiple bags sitting in the car’s trunk. “That’s a lot of groceries. How often do you go shopping?”

“About once a week,” Kenta replied. “Though this time around we ran out of groceries a bit early, so I figured we’d stock up on more.”

“Sounds like a good plan.” Wataru settled back in his seat, watching the windshield wipers sweep the rainwater on the windows from side to side.

“What about you?” Kenta asked. “What were you doing, wandering about in the rain alone?”

Wataru winced involuntarily, his thoughts seizing up. Memories of the arguments against Yuto’s father and amongst Argonavis themselves flashed to Wataru’s mind, each one sharp as a knife.

“Wataru?” Kenta’s voice drew him from his thoughts.

“Ah, sorry.” Wataru shook himself off with a sheepish chuckle. “It’s…it’s nothing. We just had a disagreement, and…” Again he trailed off with a grimace as Yuto’s words from the park resurfaced.

Wataru could feel Kenta’s concerned gaze on him as the latter spoke. “From the look on your face, it seems to have been a serious one.”

“Yeah…” Wataru sighed, shaking his head. “Did you…did you happen to see RISE, by chance?”

“That big live event from the other day? Yeah, all of us were there.”

Wataru’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait, GYROAXIA was slated to perform?!”

Kenta nodded. “We were near the end, though, so we were watching the other performances until it was our turn.”

“Then you saw what happened with Ren, didn’t you?” Wataru averted his gaze, a phantom bitterness lingering on the back of his tongue.

“Yeah.” Kenta’s voice softened sympathetically. “I have to say, the way you all handled it was beyond impressive. Seeing how quickly Yuto jumped in to take over, and how confidently you all sang up there – Nayuta would never let us do something like that.”

“Nayuta wouldn’t, huh?”

“He’s not the kind of person who would give up control even if he were in this kind of situation.” A pair of upcoming headlights sharply silhouetted Kenta’s face, reflecting off his glasses with a blinding light. “And as far as I can tell, neither are any of you.”

Wataru could only nod, at a loss for words. Silently he turned to gaze out the passenger side window, watching the people, buildings, and trees rush by them, all drenched in silver.

A long silence stretched out between them, broken only by the quiet reverberations of the car’s engine and the swish of windshield wipers and tires against rain. If not for the heavy mood, it could almost be considered peaceful.

“If there’s anything bothering you, feel free to tell me, alright?” Kenta finally said.

“Yeah,” Wataru mumbled. “I…I’ll try.”

Hesitantly, reluctantly Wataru told Kenta about Argonavis’s visit to the hospital after RISE, Ren’s and Yuto’s meeting with Daisuke, the rumors, and finally the subsequent arguments with Yuto’s father and Yuto himself. Kenta listened with quiet, attentive concern, nodding in understanding.

By the time Wataru finished speaking, he felt utterly drained once again, as if the story had sucked all the energy out of him. Once again a tired silence hung in the air as he gazed listlessly out at the road. The sky had grown noticeably darker, the hazy fluorescent glow of the street lamps and car headlights adding to the gloomy atmosphere.

“I see,” Kenta finally said softly. “From what I can gather, you’re worried that you might’ve irreparably damaged your relationship with Yuto, and by extension Argonavis as a whole.”

“Mmm.” Wataru barely had the energy to utter anything else.

Out of the corner of his eye Wataru saw Kenta draw in a silent breath, seeming lost in thought. Finally, Kenta simply shook his head. “I hate to say this, but unfortunately, I don’t have an answer for you.”

Wataru stared at Kenta for a beat, then sighed. “Guess not, huh?”

“GYROAXIA’s band dynamics are fundamentally different from that of Argonavis’s. Yes, its members do clash quite often – mainly Nayuta and Reon – but in the end, all final decisions fall under Nayuta alone.”

Wataru could only shake his head in frustrated resignation. “So much for asking for advice.”

“However, I’m sure you all can find your own ways to solve it,” Kenta continued. “After all, even through stormy times, it’s clear your bonds have served you for the better. I have faith that you’ll come up with a way to help each other.”

Wataru lowered his head as he mulled it over in his mind. He had to admit, Kenta was right. In the end, this was ultimately a problem that only Argonavis could solve.

“I guess you’re right.” Wataru finally looked over at Kenta with a quiet nod. “Regardless, thanks for taking the time to talk with me.”

“You’re welcome.” Kenta gave Wataru a small smile. “I’ll always be here to support you, and I know that you and the rest of Argonavis can find your way through the storm to a better understanding with each other.”

Wataru responded with a small smile of his own as his voice brightened a touch. “Yeah, you’re right.” Though it wasn’t much, he felt a small weight lifting from his shoulders.

“It’s getting late,” Kenta said as he glanced at the dashboard clock. “Do you want me to drop you at your sharehouse before I go back?”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Thanks.”

“Got it. Just tell me where to go.”

With Wataru’s direction, Kenta headed towards Argonavis’s sharehouse, soon arriving just as the rain finally let up. The air was now still, though the scent of rain still hung heavy as residual rivulets of water dripped from awnings and roofs.

Wataru let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding as he spotted the familiar roof of the sharehouse. A glance told him that none of the lights were on. Perhaps everyone was already asleep?

“Thanks for the ride,” Wataru said as he got out of the car. “And thank you for taking the time to talk with me today. I really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome,” Kenta replied. “I hope things work well for you and Argonavis.”

“I hope so too.” Wataru trailed off for a moment, then nodded. “Goodnight, Nii-san.”

“Goodnight.”

With that, Wataru watched as Kenta drove off, the car’s tail lights soon disappearing into the darkness. For a moment Wataru tilted his head up towards the sky, letting the cool night breeze caress his face as he drew in a deep breath. As he exhaled, he felt the tension melt away from his body, leaving him with a tranquil stillness.

Quietly Wataru slipped into the sharehouse, where he was greeted by darkness. The living room was empty, as were the rest of the downstairs area. It seemed that the rest of Argonavis were indeed asleep – if they were home at all.

Moving quietly as to not awaken the others, Wataru went to his room and grabbed his clothes, then went to shower and get ready for bed. As he was on his way to the bathroom, he thought he could see light shining from Yuto’s bedroom door. For a moment Wataru hesitated and considered going to check, but decided against it. His shivering body was more than ready for a hot shower and a change of clothes right now.

Arriving in the bathroom, Wataru hurriedly stripped his clothes and tossed them in a pile next to the door before turning the water on to the warmest setting. As steam rose from the tub he adjusted the water temperature so that it was comfortably hot, then stepped in. Immediately waves of heat washed over him, melting away the residual chill in his body.

For what felt like an eternity Wataru soaked in the hot water, the fog in his mind giving way to drowsiness. The events of the day swirled in a haze, before finally slipping away entirely.

Finally Wataru turned off the water and got out of the shower. Toweling himself off, he changed into his pajamas, gathered and tossed his dirty clothes into the nearby hamper, then finally brushed his teeth. After the chaos of the day, all he could think about was collapsing into bed and drifting off to sleep.

As Wataru made his way back to his room, he noticed that the light in Yuto’s room was still on. Again Wataru paused, curiosity pricking at him despite himself. He knew it wasn’t a good idea to eavesdrop, yet a nagging desire in his mind urged him onward.

Wataru crept over to Yuto’s room, halting next to the door. His eyes widened as he heard sobs from the other side – though quiet, they were audible through the door. Wataru could only listen in silence, his stomach sinking as regret overtook him once again. There was no doubt that in the end, Yuto was suffering the most out of everyone, and yet…

Finally, Wataru pulled away from the door and returned to his own room, his mind swirling once again. No sooner did he crawl into his bed did darkness overtake him, dragging him into a heavy, dreamless slumber.


	8. Turmoil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mood in the sharehouse is painfully awkward as Argonavis struggles to recuperate. When Yuto slips out into the rain, a curious Wataru follows…

The rain continued to fall when Wataru awoke the next morning.

Glancing out the window, he was greeted with a dreary sky, sheets of rain splattering on the windows and trailing in rivulets down the glass like tears. Though the window was firmly closed, he could still feel a chill that infested his bones. There was no way anyone was going out in this weather.

Wataru threw on a warm sweatshirt and sweatpants, then made his way downstairs. As he arrived in the living room, he perked up as he saw Yuto curled up listlessly on the couch.

“Hey, Yu—” Wataru began, before catching himself at the sight of Yuto’s clouded face. It didn’t seem that Yuto had heard him.

For a long, pained beat Wataru’s gaze lingered on Yuto’s silent figure, guilt pricking his gut. After what happened the day before, it was no surprise that Yuto was in no mood to talk. Not to mention, Yuto probably also hated Wataru for what he said – a thought that brought sharp bitterness to the back of Wataru’s tongue.

Finally Wataru tore his gaze away from Yuto and made his way to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Even though he wasn’t the best at it, Wataru still found the routine of cooking soothing.

About thirty minutes later, the comforting scent of ochazuke filled the air as Wataru set five bowls on the table. With the relentless torrent outside, freshly steamed rice in hot green tea was exactly what they needed.

Yet as he settled down to eat, Wataru found his appetite evaporating, instead replaced by a silent heaviness. Wataru was only able to take a few bites of his food before finally giving up and staring at it morosely.

The shuffle of footsteps drew Wataru from his stupor. Glancing up, he saw Ren shuffle into the dining room, stifling a yawn behind his hand as he rubbed his eyes.

“Good morning, Ren,” Wataru said with a gentle smile.

“Morning,” Ren mumbled tiredly.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Mhm.”

Wataru nodded in satisfaction, his smile widening a touch. “Glad to hear it.”

Ren simply nodded as he sat down and silently helped himself. Before long, Rio and Banri also entered the dining room, though it was clear both of them were lacking their usual cheer.

“Morning, guys,” Wataru said.

“Mornin’,” Banri replied with a small smile as he sat down, though it didn’t reach his eyes. Rio meanwhile only nodded with a small grunt.

The air fell silent save for the needlelike clink of silverware against bowls. Wataru gazed around at everyone, finding himself at a loss for words. It was clear that the incident yesterday had taken a toll on everyone – despite the silence, the air hung heavy with unspoken thoughts too painful to express.

“Do any of you have plans for today?” Wataru finally ventured. “I know it’s raining outside, but maybe we could…” He quickly trailed off at a sharp pang of guilt in his chest.

“Um…I was going to watch _Star Five,”_ Ren replied quietly. “A new episode came out today that I was really looking forward to.”

“Oh yeah, you’re right!” Banri exclaimed, almost a bit too loudly. “Wanna watch it together? I’m excited to see what happens next too!”

Ren blinked as his eyebrows shot up for a moment. “Oh…I guess that’s fine.”

Wataru’s face fell as he glanced towards the living room. “Maybe we should ask Yu if he wants to join us.” Even as he tried to sound cheerful, the words rang painfully hollow.

At Wataru’s words everyone fell silent once again, gazes downcast.

“Will Yuto even want to join us?” Ren asked quietly. “I don’t want to bother him, especially after what happened yesterday.”

Banri nodded in agreement. “Maybe we should just go watch it in Ren-kun’s room. We can share his laptop.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Ren replied.

“I agree with Nanhoshi and Shiroishi,” Rio chimed in. “It’d be best to leave Goryo alone for now.”

Wataru swallowed the phantom bitterness lingering in the back of his throat as he nodded. “I guess you’re right.”

Finally Wataru stood with a sigh, taking his empty bowl to the sink. He glanced back at the others followed suit. “I’ll take care of the dishes.”

“Got it. Thanks,” Banri replied as he, Ren, and Rio nodded in gratitude.

With that, the trio left while Wataru rolled up his sleeves and turned the water to warm. Grabbing the sponge, he squeezed on a bit of dish soap ad began washing the dishes, letting himself drift in the monotony of the chore.

Fifteen minutes later Wataru placed the last of the clean dishes on the dishrack to dry, then returned to the dining room where he found Yuto’s bowl of ochazuke sadly sitting alone on the table. With a sigh, he picked it up and went to place it in the fridge.

Slowly Wataru made his way back to the living room, where Yuto was still curled up on the couch. For a moment he Wataru glanced at the stairs as he considered going back to his room as well, yet something tugged at him to stay. Again his gaze lingered on Yuto, his heart sinking at the heavy silence.

“Yu…” Wataru whispered, even though he knew it’d be of no use.

Shaking his head, Wataru drew in another breath. “I made breakfast for everyone – your portion’s in the fridge. We’ll be in our rooms if you need anything.”

With that he turned and went up the stairs, quietly closing the door to his room. As he gazed around, he perked up as his gaze fell on his bookshelf. Perhaps some reading would do him some good.

Walking over, Wataru pulled out a book from his bookshelf and flipped through it. It was a novel he had started reading recently, though with the chaos of RISE, he had nearly forgotten about it. Sitting at his desk, Wataru flipped to the spot he had last marked and began to read. However, it wasn’t long before his mind wandered, his eyes glazing over as the words strung together in a blur. He only made it a few pages before he gave up and closed the book, placing it back on the shelf with a sigh. Again he glanced out the window, staring somberly at the rain.

How could he have screwed things up so much?

Wataru perked up as he heard the front door open downstairs. Curiously he slipped out of his room and down the stairs just in time to see Yuto tug on a raincoat and walk outside, closing the door behind him.

For a beat Wataru could only stare after Yuto in confusion. Why was he going out right now in such weather without an umbrella?

He clenched his jaw as curiosity and worry roiled inside him. Whatever Yuto was doing, Wataru felt it’d be better to follow along, in case something happened.

Grabbing his raincoat and pulling it on over his clothes, Wataru put on his pair of rain boots before taking his umbrella and opening the door to a deluge of rain that threatened to soak the entryway. Opening his umbrella and holding it over his head, Wataru stepped outside, quickly closing and locking the door behind him as he splashed after Yuto. Thankfully Yuto hadn’t gone too far, his figure vaguely visible through the silver haze.

Wataru trailed Yuto down the street, gradually closing the distance between them – though he tried to stay at least a few feet away to avoid being spotted. It wasn’t difficult to stay hidden thanks to the rain, though conversely it also made it easier to lose Yuto amidst the mist.

Yuto led Wataru out into the downtown area, where a few people with umbrellas wandered about, perhaps doing last-minute shopping, hurrying home, or simply going on a stroll – though why anyone would want to stroll in a heavy rainfall was anyone’s guess.

Gradually Wataru found himself getting closer and closer to Yuto, until they were barely a few feet apart from each other. Yuto was hunched over, his hood over his head as if he wanted to hide himself entirely. Wataru couldn’t help a pang of sorrow as he watched – it was sobering, seeing Yuto’s normally cheery and bright demeanor reduced to a quiet shell.

A while of wandering later, the pair arrived under the awning of a homey cafe, the warm lights and cozy atmosphere inside beckoning them. Yuto glanced around as if to make sure no one was following him, then slipped inside, taking off his hood as he entered.

Wataru watched silently, unsure of what to do. Surely he’d be caught if he went inside, likely earning Yuto’s ire. Yet there had to be a reason Yuto came here – if not to escape the others, then what for? Besides, the cafe seemed warm and inviting – more so when Wataru caught a glimpse of the various pastries at the counter. After everything that happened, Wataru could use some sweets to clear his mind.

With that Wataru entered the cafe, breathing a sigh of relief as waves of warmth welcomed him in. Closing his umbrella, he gazed around at the scene. There was a decent crowd of patrons, their indistinct chatter comforting to him.

Wataru hung back as he spotted Yuto ordering at the counter. Part of him wanted to call out to Yuto or join him, but Wataru knew it would only give him away – besides, it was best to give Yuto space for now. Instead, Wataru contented himself with watching as Yuto grabbed his order and wandered to find a table. Before long, he perked up at a familiar young man with dark hair sitting at one of the tables.

Could that be…?

Yuto froze, mouth agape for a moment. “Reon?”

Reon glanced up at his name, his expression brightening. “Yuto? You’re here?”

“Y-yeah…” A small smile flickered across Yuto’s face as he gestured to the empty seat opposite Reon. “Do you mind if I join you?”

“No, not at all.” Reon’s features relaxed into a gentle smile as he nodded. “Go ahead.”

Wataru watched, a small smile of his own flickering across his face despite himself. It was the first time he had seen Yuto happy since RISE.

Before long Wataru’s gaze flitted back to the cafe’s display case, the sight of the pastries making his mouth water. He came all the way here – he might as well get something while he had the chance.

With that Wataru joined the line of customers snaking around the perimeter of the cafe, surreptitiously keeping an eye on Yuto and Reon as the two chatted. Little by little Yuto seemed to relax, the tension shrouding his frame gradually melting away. It was clear that Yuto and Reon had some sort of bond with each other, even now.

Before long it was nearly Wataru’s turn at the counter. A glance at the menu told him that his go-to drink, lemon coffee, wasn’t available. Despite that all of the other options for both food and drink looked delicious – he found it difficult to settle on one. After a few moments of thought, Wataru finally settled on a tall caramel hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and caramel syrup along with a large cinnamon roll.

Once Wataru got his order, he wandered through the sea of people, searching for a place to sit at. All of the tables in the cafe were filled, leaving Wataru to search amongst the booths until he found one tucked away in a far corner of the cafe. Wataru made his way towards it and sat down, smiling quietly as he placed his hot chocolate and cinnamon roll in front of him. Both items were freshly made, the sweet scent wafting towards his nostrils on waves of steam. Wataru took a bite of the cinnamon roll, warm buttery sweetness blooming on his tongue. Drawing in another deep breath, he took a sip of the hot chocolate, letting liquid warmth flood his entire body and wash away all traces of the cold outside.

Curiously Wataru glanced over at Yuto and Reon, his face falling at Yuto’s clouded expression. Yuto was staring into his drink, his face downcast as Reon watched in concern. Their conversation blended into the murmur of the crowd around them, though as Wataru strained to listen he thought he could hear phrases rise above the noise.

“…can’t take it…” Yuto shook his head, his chest heaving with a visibly heavy sigh.

Perking up, Wataru edged closer, despite his gut telling him to stay back. Whatever they were talking about, it was evidently between them, and yet Wataru couldn’t help his curiosity.

Yuto clenched a fist, grim resignation on his face. “I want to return home.”

“Home?” Reon asked. “Do you mean Hakodate?”

Wataru froze, nearly choking on his hot chocolate. Was he hearing things right?

Immediately he gulped down his mouthful and stared at Yuto and Reon, mouth agape. Just then, however, Yuto and Reon both glanced his way. Panicked, Wataru whipped his head to the side and crammed his cinnamon roll in his mouth, taking a large bite out of it as he huddled over the table. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Yuto and Reon slowly returning to their conversation, brows furrowed in confusion.

“Yeah, I…” There was a long pause. “I’m considering buying a plane ticket and moving back to Hakodate sometime before the year ends.”

The cinnamon roll turned to ashes in Wataru’s mouth.

“You’re planning to move all the way back home?” The surprise in Reon’s voice was palpable. “Isn’t that a bit much? What will the rest of Argonavis say?”

Yuto fell silent at Reon’s words for a long moment, before responding with a quiet sigh. “If anything, I think they’ll be happier that I’m gone.”

Wataru nearly choked again as he gulped, his stomach feeling as if he had the wind knocked out of him. Even then, he clenched his teeth, fire roiling through his limbs. Why was Yuto saying those kinds of things?!

Wataru wanted to leap up, march over to them, grab Yuto, and scream out otherwise. Yet he resisted, knowing it would give him away, not to mention cause an unnecessary scene and draw more attention to them – especially considering that Yuto was already in a fragile state as he was. Yet to hear Yuto say that the rest of Argonavis would be happier without him was like a punch to the gut.

“Do you really think they’d think that?” Reon stared at Yuto in a mixture of surprise and concern. “I know that incident at RISE was distressing, but—”

“It’s not the only reason,” Yuto cut in. “Ren lost his voice, and we made ourselves fools in front of thousands. I’m not cut out to be Argonavis’s leader, much less even a member, if all I do is bring everyone down. Thanks to me, one of my best friends was hurt, and we lost one of our biggest chances for Live Royale Festival.”

“Surely there will be other chances in the future,” Reon protested. “You could always try going for those once Ren’s voice recovers.”

“If they’ll even look at us,” Yuto spat bitterly. “After what happened at RISE, I highly doubt anyone will want to risk hosting such an embarrassment on their stage.”

“…Did you just call your band – and your friends – an embarrassment?”

“If anything,  _ I’m _ the embarrassment,” Yuto shot back. “That’s why I said that I’m planning to leave. I don’t deserve to be part of Argonavis after what happened. Surely there are thousands of more talented and capable guitarists who can easily take my place.”

Wataru could only stare at Yuto in stunned silence, vaguely aware of his trembling frame as he squeezed the edge of the table with a knuckle-white grip. The more Yuto spoke, the more white noise filled Wataru’s mind, chasing away all rational thought. Tentatively Wataru drew in a shaky breath, praying it would help loosen the tense knots in his gut.

His gaze fell to his umbrella, a thought flickering to life. Part of him wanted to slip out, rush back to the sharehouse, and tell the others about Yuto’s plan – after all, he would never forgive himself if Yuto were to leave the band he created behind – yet that also meant leaving Yuto to walk home alone. The thought of Yuto hunched over alone, shivering as the rain lashed relentlessly at him was enough to bring tears to Wataru’s eyes.

As he exhaled he saw Yuto drain the rest of his drink, his eyes seemingly glassy.

“Sorry for that. I just…” Yuto trailed off and averted his gaze.

“It’s fine,” Reon replied. Though he was clearly trying to sound reassuring, there was no mistaking the undercurrent of concern. “I’m just worried about you, is all.”

“…Thanks.” Wataru thought he saw a half-hearted smile flicker across Yuto’s face.

Finally Yuto stood and pushed in his chair. “I should get going before the others worry about me.”

“If you say so,” Reon replied.

Yuto gave Reon a grateful smile. “Thanks for chatting with me. I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome.” Reon nodded with a quiet smile of his own.

With a wave Yuto turned and walked towards the door. “Well then, see you.”

Immediately Wataru stood and grabbed his umbrella, then glanced back at his unfinished food and drink. It would be foolish to leave them here after he came all this way to buy them. Besides, part of him wondered if sharing them with Yuto would help – after all, Yuto had barely eaten all day.

With those thoughts in mind, Wataru gathered up his hot chocolate and the other half of his cinnamon roll, then walked to the door, where Yuto was just about to leave.

“Hey.” Wataru gave Yuto his best attempt at a friendly smile.

Yuto visibly startled, then turned and stared at Wataru in shock. “Wataru? What’re you doing here?”

“Ah, um…” Wataru scratched the back of his head as he floundered for an answer. “I just happened to come across the same cafe and wanted to hang out here. It really is nice, isn’t it? And they have the best sweets too!” He held up his order with a nervous chuckle.

Yuto simply eyed Wataru for a moment, then turned to leave. Wataru halted, his face falling. It wasn’t surprising Yuto didn’t believe him – Wataru wasn’t exactly a good liar, after all.

“Hey, um…want to walk home together?” Wataru ventured. “I don’t want to leave you out in the rain all alone, and I have an umbrella.”

Yuto paused for a moment, then shrugged nonchalantly. “If you want.” His voice was tired, drained of its usual cheer. In fact, Wataru dared say it sounded almost emotionless.

Frowning in concern, Wataru opened his umbrella and held it over both of them. Yuto glanced at Wataru briefly in surprise, before nodding in silent appreciation.

Together the two walked home, accompanied by the patter of the rain as it poured around them. Wataru gazed around, the silver-drenched scenery only serving to deepen his melancholy. Gradually he grew aware of the ringing drone in his ears – it was only then that he realized that Yuto hadn’t said a single word since they left.

“Say, Yu…” Wataru hesitantly began, then trailed off. “Are you alright? You normally aren’t this…quiet.”

Silence. Wataru glanced over at Yuto to find the latter staring at the ground. It didn’t even seem like Yuto heard his question.

“Yu…” Wataru sighed quietly. “If there’s anything bothering you, you can tell me, alright?”

“I’m fine.” The reply was dull, and yet Wataru could detect a bite behind it.

Wataru bit his tongue and swallowed back the rising discomfort. “Are you really sure?”

“I know exactly what you’re going to say. ‘You’re not fine – why would you say those things about yourself?’” Yuto stopped and turned towards Wataru, a silent fire in his eyes. “Right?”

Wataru recoiled in surprise. “What do you mean? What makes you think that?”

Another pause. Yuto looked away, then back at Wataru again. “There’s no need to hide it. I knew that you were following me from the beginning, listening in on my conversation with Reon. Why else would you have come all the way here?”

Wataru’s stomach dropped as an icy jolt seized him. It was that obvious?

“Well, I only followed because I was worried about you.” Wataru lowered his head, shock melting into guilt. “I’m sorry for keeping it a secret.”

“Then I can only assume that you heard everything, then. About my plan to…” Yuto grimaced, as if the words caused him physical pain. “About my plan to return home.”

“…Yeah.” Wataru averted his gaze, his cheeks flushing despite the cold. “I…I don’t want you to leave. I – no, not just me, but all of Argonavis – need you.”

He hesitantly glanced up at Yuto to find the latter’s head lowered. A long, painful silence stretched between them, amplified by the drone of the rain.

Finally, Yuto raised his head and held Wataru’s gaze. “Promise me you won’t tell the others about this.”

It was an order, no doubt about it. But the imperative tone of it, mixed with an undercurrent of desperation, was enough to send shivers down Wataru’s spine.

Swallowing, Wataru nodded. “I won’t. I promise.”

Yuto’s features relaxed, and he almost seemed to smile. “…Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Wataru paused as he thought he heard an audible growl. Glancing over, he saw Yuto knit his brows together, before grimacing once again.

“You seem hungry.” Wataru took out his drink and the other half of his cinnamon roll and held them out. “If you want, you can have these. They should be enough to tide you over until we get back to the sharehouse.”

Yuto blinked at Wataru, then hesitantly reached out and took them. “Thanks. I…I appreciate it.”

Wataru smiled and nodded. “Anything for my best friend.”

Yuto seemed to light up a touch at that, rewarding Wataru with a quiet smile of his own.

With that, the two resumed their walk home, all other emotions melting away into the silver rain.


	9. Tempest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite Wataru's promise to keep Yuto’s secret, his concern compels Wataru to tell the rest of Argonavis. Thus yet another storm looms over the horizon…

Yuto’s words continued to linger in Wataru’s mind as the days passed. Like a raincloud it hung over Wataru, persistently gnawing at him no matter how hard he tried to shake it.

To his worry Yuto grew even more subdued than before, going out of his way to avoid the others as much as he could. While before Yuto was always on the move – energetically talking with the others, practicing, or offering to help out with various things – now he rarely came out of his room except for meals, and even then Yuto always wore a somber expression. Whenever anyone tried to approach him Yuto would freeze up and shrink away as if frightened, before mumbling an excuse and fleeing back to his room. The others watched Yuto’s change in behavior in concern, but seemed too afraid to say anything.

Seeing Yuto reduced to such a shell of himself broke Wataru’s heart, yet it also filled him with equal amounts of frustration and guilt. Surely all of this could have been avoided – or at least mitigated – if everyone was simply willing to talk it out. Despite this Wataru couldn’t shake the guilt lingering in his gut – after all, Wataru had not only tried to do so and failed once, but in the process he had only succeeded in pushing Yuto away even further.

As terrified as Wataru was to admit, he didn’t see Argonavis lasting much longer like this. The more everyone tried to run away from the issues bearing down on them, the more said problems would crush them until there was nothing left.

Gradually the rain halted, clouds gave way to bright sunshine along with a refreshing breeze. Yet inside the sharehouse the mood remained as dark and gloomy as ever, as if time had frozen since the day Yuto’s father arrived. Practice was all but suspended, and though the individual members tried to practice on their own and generally tried to keep life going as normally as they could, an unshakable pall of worry hung over everyone, choking them and stifling the atmosphere. Despite this, Wataru noticed a small light amidst the darkness – Ren’s voice was gradually improving, day by day. It seemed the rest, though unexpected, was doing him well.

Wataru sat on the couch in the living room, silently gazing out the window. The sun outside was bright and warm, beckoning him outside. Normally he would’ve leapt at the opportunity to go for a walk and get some fresh air, but now the thought of it filled him with silent lethargy. Besides, walking outside alone was all he had done the past few days, to the point where he had explored and memorized the locations of everything in the entire town. Though it was interesting, even exciting at first, before long he found himself aimlessly wandering the same routes over and over, his mind clouded with worry. If he went today, surely it would be no different.

“Hey, Wataru-kun?”

Wataru perked up as Banri’s voice drew him from his thoughts. Glancing up, he saw Banri nearing him, flanked by Ren and Rio.

Wataru tilted his head. “What is it, Banri-kun?”

“If it’s okay, we’d like to talk to you,” Rio replied. “About you and Goryo.”

Wataru’s stomach twisted into a knot. Gulping it down, he nodded reluctantly. “Okay…”

“We’ve just noticed that you two have been acting strangely ever since the day Yuto’s father came.” Ren stepped forward, his forehead creased in a worried frown. “Yuto’s been ignoring everyone since that day, even you. Not to mention, you both disappeared into the rain the other day without telling us…” Ren trailed off and averted his gaze uncomfortably. “We got worried, thinking something had happened.”

“I know things have been rough as of late, but you two seem to be taking the brunt of the strain,” Rio explained. “Even though you two are the pillars of Argonavis, please know that you do not have to shoulder the burdens of the band alone. After all, we’re all in this together, and we’re all here for each other.”

Wataru smiled at them quietly, gratitude welling in his chest. “Thanks, guys. I appreciate it.”

The others sat down around him – Ren and Banri on Wataru’s right, Rio on his left. Gazing around at them, Wataru’s heart fluttered for a moment as he felt phantom warmth wrap around him.

“So…what’s been up with you two?” Banri’s voice was quiet with worry. “Neither of you act like this normally – something big must’ve happened between you guys.”

Sharp pangs of regret mingled with vexation in Wataru’s gut as he recalled the conversation between Yuto and Reon in the cafe. Yuto’s words resurfaced crystal-clear in Wataru’s mind, stinging him like needles – as did the self-loathing on Yuto’s face as he spoke. A lump settled in Wataru’s throat, his breath lodging and refusing to come out.

“Well…” Wataru trailed off and gulped, his fingers squeezing the cushions. He lowered his gaze to his lap, Yuto’s plea resonating as clearly as it had been spoken aloud. He drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes, whispering a silent apology in his mind.

_ I’m sorry, Yu. But for your sake – and all of ours – I have to tell everyone. _

Opening his eyes, he gazed around at his friends. Everyone wore solemn gazes as they locked eyes with him.

“The truth is…I followed Yu to a cafe where he met with Reon. They were talking about RISE and…” Wataru bit his tongue, the next words lodged in his throat.

“And what?” Banri asked.

“Yu said he was thinking of moving back to Hakodate permanently before the end of this year.”

The room fell into stunned silence.

“Move back…permanently?” Ren whispered incredulously.

“So he was serious about quitting Argonavis for real this time.” Rio’s eyes narrowed, the slightest hint of steel working its way into his voice.

“Wait, you’re kidding, right?” Banri interjected, waving his hands frantically. “After we came all this way, Yuto-kun’s really planning to leave us?”

Wataru nodded grimly, well aware of the painfully tight knot in his chest. “Not only that, Yu also said that we’d be happier if he were gone – as if any of us would believe that.” He curled one hand into a fist, his jaw clenched. “Yu made me promise not to tell anyone – I suppose he knew we’d all try to stop him.”

“Why wouldn’t we? Yuto-kun’s our friend!” Banri spread out his hands, his voice rising steadily. “For Yuto-kun to abandon the band that he created and led all this way is just cruel!”

“I understand that Goryo blames himself for the incident at RISE, but his actions here are taking it too far,” Rio added, a frustrated undercurrent palpable in his voice. “Without Goryo, surely Argonavis will fall apart – there is no doubt about it.”

Wataru could only stare at his friends in numb silence. Only then did he notice Ren gazing out into space, a faraway, sad look in his eyes.

“Yuto…” Ren’s voice was tinged with sorrow. “How could you…?”

An uncomfortable silence stretched through the air as everyone struggled to process the revelation. Silently Wataru drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes, holding it until his lungs could no longer bear it. Just as they began screaming for release Wataru exhaled, his subsequent breaths coming in short, rapid pants as a wave of lightheadedness overcame him.

Everyone perked up and glanced at each other as they heard the door to Yuto’s room open. Immediately a sharp pang of bitterness pricked Wataru’s tongue, his stomach flipping as he lowered his head. His cheeks burned, fiery heat soon spreading to the rest of his body.

He looked up as Yuto came down the stairs, slowing to a halt as he took in the scene.

“Hey, Yu.” Wataru offered a weak smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes.

Yuto looked over everyone silently, his features sagging into a resigned expression. “You…you told everyone, didn’t you?”

Wataru stiffened, then sagged and hung his head.

“We’re worried about you, Goryo.” Rio stood and walked over to Yuto, his voice soft with concern. “All this time, you’ve been shouldering all of Argonavis’s burdens alone, haven’t you?”

“That’s what a leader does, isn’t it?” Yuto asked. “As Argonavis’s leader, I have to bear the responsibility for its failures. There’s no going around it.”

“But to say that we’re happier with you gone…!” The words slipped from Wataru’s mouth before he could stop himself. He raised his head and locked eyes with Yuto, a flame roaring to life inside of his chest. “It’s not true at all, and it never will be!”

“Wataru…” Yuto stared at Wataru, eyes wide.

Drawing in a breath to quell his trembling body, Wataru also rose, clenching and unclenching his hands in an attempt to relieve the tension as he slowly made his way towards Yuto. Yuto’s eyes widened as he slowly backed away, raising his hands placatingly.

“Wataru-kun…” Banri called. “What are you…?”

Wataru didn’t hear Banri’s voice, his attention fixed solely on Yuto. In a few steps he had closed the distance between them, the duo standing face-to-face.

For a long, breathless moment the two locked gazes, unspoken thoughts hanging heavy in the air. Finally, Wataru reached out and pulled Yuto into a gentle, yet snug embrace. Yuto stiffened with a quiet gasp, but otherwise said nothing.

“We’ll always be here for you,” Wataru murmured as he rubbed Yuto’s back soothingly. “No matter what happens, you’ll never be alone.”

His words were met with silence as Yuto hesitantly relaxed. Little by little the tension in Yuto’s frame melted away as he leaned into Wataru, burying his face into Wataru’s shoulder. Wataru simply closed his eyes and held Yuto close.

Wataru perked up as he felt another pair of arms wrap around him. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ren hugging them both close, eyes closed in quiet serenity. Rio and Banri soon joined them, warmth surrounding the five like a shroud.

For what felt like an eternity time stood still, everything else melting away into nothingness as they drifted in a silent void. Though the air still hung heavy with gloom, Wataru could also sense the smallest tinge of peace and hope.

Finally they parted one by one, pulling away and silently gazing around at each other. They felt like they were drifting, as if they were waking from a dream.

“Sorry,” Yuto mumbled as he lowered his head. “For running off and making decisions on my own without telling you all.”

“It’s alright.” Wataru gave Yuto his best attempt at a reassuring smile, even as his voice was heavy with exhaustion. “As long as we have each other, it’ll all be okay.”

Yuto looked away, clearly uncomfortable. After a long beat he finally drew in a quiet, shaky breath. “I ended up costing us a potential chance for the Live Royale Fest, not to mention Ren’s voice…”

“There will be plenty of other chances in the future,” Rio said. “Besides, Nanahoshi’s voice is already recovering. We can always try again.”

“But we also made a fool of ourselves in front of thousands – not to mention those who saw our performance online!” Yuto spread out his hands desperately. “Would anyone even accept us after that?”

“We’ll never know until we try!” Banri exclaimed. “Besides, you were never one to give up, weren’t you?!”

“Who says I’m giving up?” Yuto’s voice rose to match Banri’s. “I’m just saying that it has a probability of happening! Look at the comments and rumors on the video of the event!”

“But even then—” Wataru began.

“None of this changes the fact that it was all my fault!” Yuto shouted over Wataru, the former’s voice cracking. “I don’t deserve to be here, dragging you all down!”

Wataru flinched as Rio strode up to Yuto, pinning the latter with a steely glare. Immediately Yuto snapped his mouth shut and shrunk back.

“Kikyo?” Wataru reached out, watching the two warily.

“If this is how things are going to be, I’m withdrawing from Argonavis as well.”

Yuto’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait, what?”

“I mean every word I said.” Rio’s voice carried a cold steel that sent shivers down Wataru’s spine. “If the founder and leader of our band leaves, then our band may well not exist. In that case, wouldn’t it be prudent for its remaining members to withdraw as well?”

Out of the corner of his eye Wataru saw Banri nod in agreement, lips pressed together grimly. “I hate to say it, but in a way Rio-kun’s right. Argonavis isn’t Argonavis without all five of us, and that includes you, Yuto-kun. If you were to leave, what would happen to the rest of us?”

“I…” Yuto paused, gritting his teeth. “There are thousands of other guitarists far more talented and capable of playing and leading than me. I’ve only proved again and again that all I do is hold everyone back.”

“Again with those words.” Wataru clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, frustration threatening to boil over into pure fury. “Can’t you listen to yourself?! The more you say those things, the more pathetic you sound!”

“Because that’s exactly what I am!” Yuto’s voice rose to a screech, tears visible in his eyes. “All I’ve done is dragged you all along blindly to a dream that I know I can’t reach, in some foolish, blind hope that somehow we’d be able to do it. Even when I was proved wrong over and over again, I stubbornly kept going, lying to myself – and look at where we are!”

_ “That’s enough!” _ Banri screamed. Before anyone could stop him he strode towards Yuto with a stormy gaze, hand raised. Immediately Rio grabbed Banri’s wrist, stopping him.

“What are you doing?!” Banri cried as he tried to pull his hand free.

Rio simply tightened his grip with a silent glare. Banri responded in kind for a moment, a tense silence hanging between them, before finally backing down. Gently Rio let go of Banri’s wrist, his features relaxing a fraction. Banri turned back to Yuto with clenched teeth, barely restrained fury palpable as Banri curled one hand into a fist.

“Everyone, stop…!”

Everyone froze, then turned to find Ren quivering tearfully.

“Ren…” Wataru’s voice was hoarse, breathless.

Ren drew in a shaky breath, a sniffle escaping. “I know everyone’s upset, but…fighting won’t solve anything…”

Wataru’s heart sank as Ren averted his gaze, as if to hide his tears. The others could only watch on in silent concern.

“…Sorry.” Yuto sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have blown up like that.”

Ren’s chest heaved as he drew in shaky breaths. When he turned back towards everyone, his face was streaked with tears. The others could only glance at each other uncomfortably, the fiery rage that had enveloped them all but doused with a flood of painful regret.

“I don’t want to sing if all it does is cause everyone pain.”

“Huh?” Wataru knit his brows together. “What do you mean?”

“All this time, I thought I was bringing everyone happiness by singing. But all it’s doing now is tearing everyone apart.” Ren’s voice trembled hoarsely, whether it be from lingering physical strain or emotion Wataru could not tell.

“Wait, Ren-kun!” Banri called. “It’s not your fault! None of this was—”

“But even then!” Ren cried, his voice cracking. “It was because I pushed on alone that all of this is happening! We were all supposed to be looking for each other, but now…” He trailed off, his voice breaking in a sob.

“Nanahoshi…”

Ren trembled visibly as he pinned everyone with a tearful gaze. “I don’t want to hurt my friends, nor this band…If this is what Argonavis is turning into, then…!”

Before anyone could respond Ren turned and bolted out of the sharehouse, slamming the door behind him. A long, heavy silence hung in the air, choking everyone with its shroud.

“Ren…” The name slipped from Wataru in a bare whisper, inaudible even to himself.

Turning, he watched as Banri and Rio gave Yuto silent gazes, anger and sorrow lingering, before drifting off. A pit settled deep into his stomach as Yuto lowered his head, tears of shame falling to the ground below.

Silently Wataru watched, the ringing silence boring deeper into him as his surroundings seemed to disappear, leaving them drifting in an empty void.


	10. Through the Fog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While dejectedly wandering alone, Ren runs into Nayuta and Kenta outside and asks for advice. How will they respond?

The sun bore down on Ren as his footsteps pounded against the concrete, head throbbing as his heartbeat pounded in his ears. His vision blurred precariously as tears cascaded down his cheeks, the breeze cooling them and whisking them away. Even as sobs wracked his throat, Ren continued running blindly, spurred by pure adrenaline.

Gradually Ren slowed and doubled over as his lungs screamed for air. Hands on his knees, he panted heavily, beads of sweat trickling down his face and mingling with his tears. He forced himself to draw in deep gulps of air, even as each breath felt like a knife to his lungs. Finally, the worst of the pain subsided, though the throbbing headache remained.

Slowly Ren raised his head and gazed around, taking in his colorful storefronts on either side of him. It seemed that his blind run had taken him to the downtown district.

Shaking his head, Ren began wandering aimlessly, white noise piercing his mind and filling his ears with a low, whining drone that blocked out the chatter of passerby and the twittering of the birds. The familiar storm clouds rolled in again, obscuring his thoughts.

Why did it end up like this?

Ren halted and raised his head to gaze at the sun, squinting through the blinding radiance.

It was so frustrating.

Everyone did their best despite their circumstances, but in the end, no matter what they did everything only got worse. First Ren lost his voice which led to the rumors spreading, and now everyone was fighting, with Yuto and Rio both threatening to permanently withdraw from Argonavis. If things continued as they were, Argonavis was going to collapse, and everyone’s dreams were going to disappear along with it.

It wasn’t long before tears stung his eyes again, a lump welling in his throat – whether the tears were from the sun’s harsh brightness or his overflowing emotions, he could not tell.

“Everyone…I’m sorry…”

The apology fell from Ren’s lips as he hung his head, choked sobs escaping once again as his body quivered. The experiences and memories Argonavis had shared, the hopes and dreams they were aspiring for, the new life that they had built here – everything was on the verge of collapsing, and the thought of it utterly terrified Ren like no other. Their dream of the Live Royale Festival that they had been looking towards all this time would become naught but a faraway star, always in the distance, forever unreachable.

Ren trudged along the path, wrestling with his sobs until they quieted into painful trembling in his chest. His head hung low, his gaze sweeping the ground as he weakly wiped his tears on his sleeve. Every step felt heavy, as if his limbs had turned to lead.

So distracted was Ren that he didn’t notice anyone else around him until he bumped into someone, causing him to stumble with a quiet gasp.

“Watch it,” a gruff voice snapped.

Bewildered, Ren halted and tentatively raised his head to find Nayuta glaring at him, Kenta at the latter’s side.

Ren could only lower his head with a tired mumble. “S-sorry…”

“Ren?” Kenta asked, brow furrowed in concern.

Ren’s gaze flitted to Kenta before falling to the ground again as he breathed a quiet, shaky sigh. Nayuta scoffed and spun on his heel to walk away, only for Kenta to gently stop him. Instinctively Ren opened his mouth to call out, but the words died on his lips.

Kenta’s voice softened as he walked over to Ren. “Are you alright? You clearly seem tired.”

“…Yeah.” Ren’s voice came out hoarse as he nodded weakly.

“Did something happen?” Kenta asked. “Judging by your expression, it must be serious.”

Again Nayuta scoffed as he turned away. “Whatever it is, it’s not my business.”

“Nayuta-kun…” Ren started, before trailing off. What was there to say? Even if Ren did talk to Nayuta and Kenta about everything that happened, would they be willing to help?

Barely did the question fully formulate in Ren’s mind then did he shake it off. He would rather try and fail than regret not trying at all.

Ren glanced between the two of them, then straightened. “Um…I’d like to talk to you both, if it’s okay.”

“Of course,” Kenta replied without hesitation. “What is it?”

Ren clenched his jaw as flashes of the argument pierced his mind, raw and visceral. “Everyone in Argonavis is fighting each other, all because of me. If I hadn’t lost my voice back at RISE…” He trailed off with a dejected sigh. “I cost us everything, and I might well be the reason Argonavis disbands as well.”

Kenta blinked in shock. “Disbanding? You can’t be serious.”

“Yuto was planning to withdraw from Argonavis and move back to Hakodate permanently because he feels he doesn’t deserve to be part of Argonavis.” The words spilled forth in a rush before Ren could stop himself. “Even though we all told him how much he meant to us, Yuto just wouldn’t listen. Rio then said he was going to withdraw from the band if Yuto did, and before I knew it…” Ren could feel his blood pound in his ears as he grit his teeth, his voice raspy. “If Yuto leaves, Argonavis is going to collapse. Everything we’ve done and all of the dreams we’ve been striving for are going to be for nothing—” His last sentence cut off in a rough cough as his throat ached.

“So what?” Nayuta asked brusquely. “If that’s how you feel, then tell him that.”

“We did, but it only made things worse.”

The shadows on Kenta’s face deepened as he glanced at Nayuta. “Come to think of it, Wataru was telling me something similar a week or so ago. Not to mention Reon mentioned a conversation with Yuto the other day about Yuto wanting to return to Hakodate.”

Ren perked up. “Wataru told you about it?”

Kenta nodded. “Wataru said that he and Yuto were arguing in the park after Yuto’s father came.” A grimace flashed across Kenta’s face for a split second. “It was quite an intense argument, from what I heard.”

“So that was why they ran off that day…” Ren mused.

“If anything else, what you told me just now sounded like words said in the heat of the moment.” Kenta’s voice softened, yet still carried a gentle firmness to it. “After all, I would imagine everyone’s emotions being high during that time.”

“Yeah.” Ren nodded quietly, in thought. “There’s no way Yuto would truly be willing to leave Argonavis – after all, he always talked about how it was fate that we were brought together. Out of all of us, he’s the most devoted to the band. He really cares for us.”

A small smile flitted across Kenta’s face at Ren’s words. “It’s clear everyone in Argonavis treasures and cares for one another. With this in mind, maybe you all should try talking to each other once again once everyone’s emotions have calmed. Perhaps then, you’ll be able to reach a solution together.”

“I suppose so,” Ren replied. “But what if Yuto won’t even listen to what we have to say?”

“Then force him to by any means necessary,” Nayuta shot back. “If it means disbanding Argonavis, then so be it.”

“By any means necessary…”

The thought sent twinges of apprehension through Ren’s gut. To think of doing such a thing would surely widen the divide between the band, if not drive them apart altogether. Would it really come to that?

Drawing in a deep breath, Ren nodded at Nayuta and Kenta. “Thank you, both of you. Your words mean a lot.”

“Don’t mention it,” Kenta replied. “I hope everything works out for you and the rest of Argonavis.”

Ren thought he saw Nayuta’s expression soften a touch as the latter begrudgingly nodded.

“Satozuka. Let’s go.”

With that Nayuta turned and brusquely strode off without another word. Ren watched after Nayuta silently, before locking eyes with Kenta. The two shared a brief nod before Kenta turned to follow, leaving Ren behind.

Ren turned his gaze towards the achingly blue sky, the white clouds bright as they drifted. The storm from earlier had calmed, replaced with a quiet serenity. Ren could sense the path forward was a little clearer, even if it was still shrouded in fog.

Shaking himself off, Ren turned and began the trek back towards the sharehouse, accompanied only by his swirling thoughts.


	11. Circle Breaker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Left alone to their own devices, Rio and Banri open up to each other about their worries as they struggle to process what just occurred.

Rio’s ears rang with white noise as he wandered. Thoughts drifted in an empty void, memories flickering in and out of focus.

His own words echoed in his mind, sharp as knives as they mingled with the others’ cries. A multitude of emotions swirled within – guilt, anger, frustration, even fear – melding into a vice that squeezed his chest in a crushing grip.

For Goryo to throw around those words so wantonly – to say that he was undeserving of leading Argonavis, and to attempt to withdraw after all they had been through – it was enough to make Rio’s blood boil.

The white noise expanded to fill Rio’s mind, extinguishing all other thoughts. The moment Goryo left, what would happen to the others? On one hand, they could try to push on without him, filling in with temporary guitarists as necessary until they found a suitable replacement, with Wataru taking over as the band’s leader in Yuto’s stead. But could they even continue to call themselves Argonavis after that?

Immediately Rio’s mind recoiled as he shook the thought off, berating himself for even considering it. Surely there was no way anyone was willing to continue without all five members – it could only be them, no one else.

Rio perked up at a series of shouts, followed by the sharp  _ crack _ of a bat hitting a ball. Glancing towards the sound, Rio found himself watching a baseball team in the midst of practice, their shouts filling the air as they scattered about the field. The sight brought yet more memories to the surface, past mingling with the present as they filtered through the haze. For what felt like an eternity Rio stood frozen in place, gaze fixated on the field through the fence. He wasn’t focused on any person in particular – rather, he simply stared at the scene in front of him, too exhausted to form either thoughts or words.

Another long shout – likely from the team’s coach – snapped Rio out of his daze. He blinked and hurriedly shook himself off, watching as the team gathered together. Everyone seemed happy and carefree, content in their exhaustion of a practice session well done. The sight sent twinges of nostalgia and guilt through Rio, waves of emotions rising to crash over him.

Slowly Rio shook himself off and stepped back from the fence, head lowered in thought. Drawing in a deep breath to steady himself, Rio closed his eyes and raised his head, letting the cool breeze caress his hair and face.

Another deep breath and Rio opened his eyes again and turned, resuming his walk down the path. Before he knew it Rio found himself climbing the bleachers overlooking the field, sitting near the very top. From here everything looked so small and faraway under the seemingly endless sky.

Again his mind circled back to the argument from before, his heart growing heavy. It was happening all over again, just like with all of the other communities Rio had been a part of. Every hobby he had picked up in an attempt to find something that would reignite his passion drew a community towards him, which made it all the more painful when he inevitably drifted, leaving the group behind to pick up the pieces – or worse, to crumble in his wake. And now, it was happening with a passion he loved – and a group of people he had genuinely considered close friends for the first time in years.

Phantom bitterness lingered on the back of Rio’s tongue as a pain he knew far too well pierced through the haze – the pain of losing a community that he had so intimately been acquainted with, and a shared dream that crumbled before his eyes. There was no doubt that the scars of the past were returning to haunt the present. And worst of all, this time he was partly to blame as well, thanks to his rash words.

Rio stiffened at a lump in his throat, his chest tightening as warmth pressed behind his eyes and threatened to overflow. Though taken by surprise, Rio could do nothing but close his eyes, letting tears wet his eyelashes as they slipped down his face.

How long has it been since he last cried?

A quiet sniffle broke free as Rio bowed his head. Slowly he raised his gaze to stare out over the empty field, not bothering to wipe away the tears flowing down his face.

“I’m sorry…because of me, I destroyed everyone’s dreams, including my own…”

Between barely audible sobs Rio whispered his apology, letting the breeze whisk his words away into the empty air. The breeze whistled hollowly, yet he considered it a more comforting companion than the relentless assault of white noise at his ears.

“Rio-kun?”

At his name Rio perked up, turning to find Banri standing over him with a worried expression.

“Shiroishi…”

Hastily Rio wiped at his tears, giving Banri his best attempt at a reassuring smile. “It’s alright. I was just…reflecting on some things.”

“Not with that expression of yours,” Banri replied quietly as he sat down. “You…you were crying, weren’t you?”

“I…” Rio could only stammer, caught off guard. “You could tell?”

“It’s not hard to tell.” The words grated against Rio’s ears, eliciting a silent wince.

Banri seemed to catch himself, his face falling. “Sorry. It’s just…it’s so rare to see you so upset…I got worried.”

“…Thank you, Shiroishi,” Rio replied as he looked away.

He startled as Banri wrapped his arms around Rio’s shoulder in a gentle, yet loose embrace. The gesture was enough to make Rio tremble, his chest tightening as the already crumbling walls around him threatened to break down completely.

“It’ll be alright,” Banri said softly as he held Rio close, voice audibly quivering. “You don’t need to hide your feelings anymore.”

At that moment, everything fell.

Though Rio tried to hold back his tears, it was like trying to stop a tsunami with a dam. All he could do was bury his head into Banri’s shoulder, tears soaking the fabric of Banri’s jacket as Rio sobbed openly. Faintly he thought he could hear Banri crying as well, the latter’s body trembling.

For what felt like an eternity Rio and Banri held each other and wept, their emotions overflowing. All of their grief, sorrow, anger, and fear were all washed away through their tears until there was nothing left.

Finally Rio and Banri simply held each other, too exhausted to cry any further. The storm of emotions had all been swept away, leaving behind nothing but numb emptiness.

Rio gradually grew aware of the cold, yet gentle breeze ruffling his hair. Hesitantly he snuggled closer to Banri, relaxing in the latter’s embrace. Banri nestled closer as well in response, the two basking peacefully in each other’s company.

With a deep breath Rio hesitantly disentangled himself, pulling away from Banri with an apologetic, yet grateful smile. Banri responded in kind, a moment of gentle warmth between them.

“Thank you, Shiroishi,” Rio said quietly, ignoring the heat rising to his cheeks the best he could. “I…I really appreciate that.”

“No problem.” Banri pat Rio’s shoulder with a gentle smile.

Together the two turned to the view before them, their gazes sweeping the landscape. Everything felt a touch brighter, warmer even. Rio drew in a deep breath, letting the cool air refresh him as it filled his lungs.

“Why did you come all the way out here?” Rio finally asked.

“I was worried about you.” Banri turned towards Rio, brows knit together. “It’s not like you to suddenly blow up on others the way you did – not to mention you disappearing off on your own, and now…”

Rio could only nod in response as he tried to gather his thoughts. When he finally spoke, his voice was husky. “I’m worried about the future of Argonavis. If Goryo were to truly leave, surely the band would fall apart. And I only made it worse by saying that I’d leave too.”

At Rio’s statement Banri’s expression morphed into one of worry. “You aren’t actually going to leave, are you?”

Rio shook his head with a wry chuckle. “You truly think I meant that?”

“I mean…you sounded so serious when you said it, and…” Banri trailed off as he averted his gaze, clearly uneasy.

“I’m sorry.” Rio’s gut tightened into a small knot as his gaze followed Banri’s. “I shouldn’t have given into my anger and spoken so rashly.”

“Your feelings are definitely valid, though,” Banri replied earnestly, if not a bit insistently. “I know you tend to do this a lot, but…try not to bottle up your emotions so much. It’ll only hurt everyone more in the end.”

Rio could only stare at Banri, at a loss for words.

“Please don’t leave Argonavis,” Banri continued, an audible tremor working its way into his voice. “I don’t want you to go.”

“I won’t.” Rio’s voice was gentle but firm as he placed a hand on Banri’s shoulder. “I promise.”

Banri seemed to relax a touch, the tension in his shoulders melting away as his features relaxed into a hesitant smile. “Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

Rio gave Banri a reassuring smile. “You’re welcome. After all, we’re more than bandmates – we’re friends as well.”

“And friends look out for each other,” Banri chimed in, his smile widening a touch. “Right?”

“Yeah.”

They turned to watch as the sinking sun painted the sky in fiery hues of orange, gold, and purple. Everything else below were but dark silhouettes against the vivid landscape.

“It’s beautiful,” Rio murmured.

Banri nodded with a small smile. “It really is.”

For a long, peaceful moment the two gazed at the horizon, mesmerized by the vivid splashes of color. Somehow, the sight set a warmth aflame in their chests, a comforting hope that everything was going to be alright.

“As long as we’re together, everything will be okay, right?” Banri shattered the silence as he turned towards Rio.

“It will be,” Rio said reflexively. “I’m sure of it.”

As the words fell from his lips, the flames of hope flickered ever higher, shielding him against the chilly air.

Rio and Banri smiled at each other, their eyes full of warmth and hope. As the evening wind nipped at them, they snuggled closer to each other, gazing out at the fading sky.


	12. Reaching Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuto is left adrift, consumed by guilt and sorrow. As he sinks deeper into the darkness, a familiar voice calls to him…

Silence rang too loud in Yuto’s ears.

His legs had given out under him, leaving him a crumpled mess at the foot of the stairs with head bowed. He felt as if someone had yanked his heart out of his chest and shattered it, leaving only a gaping hole remaining.

How could he have been so foolish?

A series of strangled sobs tore from his throat, painful and ragged as Yuto buried his head in his hands. His whole body trembled, burning with the heat of grief as hot tears streamed down his face.

Before he knew it the fire had exploded skyward, manifesting in a long, anguished scream that rent his lungs. Yuto squeezed his eyes shut, the thunder of his blood pounding in his ears drowning out even his own cries.

Finally the last of the air depleted, leaving Yuto gasping for breath as he doubled over. Sobs continued to wrack his chest, though they were more subdued compared to before. Vaguely he was aware of his soaked clothes, warm wetness continuing to slip down his face.

There was a series of plodding steps, followed by a soft whine and a nudge. Glancing over, Yuto spotted Pon-chan with his favorite chew toy in his mouth as he gazed at Yuto with large, sorrowful eyes.

Yuto could only sigh and pull away, curling up with his knees to his chest. “Not now, Pon-chan.”

His response was met with a quiet whimper as Pon-chan placed the toy next to Yuto before curling up too. Absentmindedly Yuto stroked Pon-chan’s soft fur, though it did little to calm the storm in his mind.

Finally Yuto picked himself up and walked over to the door, pulling it open. He could no longer bear staying in the sharehouse any longer – it was as if the atmosphere had been poisoned by a silent, invisible miasma that permeated every inch of the space. Besides, everyone else had left anyway – there was no point in him staying here. Perhaps some sunshine and fresh air would do him some good.

Yuto stepped out and closed the door behind him, then began wandering. Immediately he knew that it was but a fool’s errand – there was nowhere for him to go, or at least nowhere that would hold his interest. Not to mention, what if he ran into any of the other members of Argonavis along the way?

The thought sent Yuto’s heart pounding once again, his gut twisting into painful knots. Right now he wanted nothing more than to run away from the others as fast and far as he could and hide. Surely after everything he said and the fact that his actions had caused not one, but two arguments between everyone, they all had good reason to hate him. There was no way he could bear looking any of them in the eyes, at least not right now.

Yuto sighed wearily as he ran a hand through his hair. As begrudging as he was to admit it, Wataru and the others were right – the more he tore himself down like this, the more he was dragging his fellow bandmates down alongside him. Yet those insecurities, who were once content to simply nibble at the back of his mind and whisper in his ear now roared deafeningly, sinking fang and talon into his mind and tearing down the flimsy walls he had built with reckless abandon. It was excruciating, yet Yuto knew it was his fault for letting them get to him in the first place. The cycle ran round and round like a puppy chasing its tail, battering him into submission.

Amidst the tornado of chaos whirling within, another truth clawed its way to the light, one that sent sharp pangs of guilt through Yuto’s gut. He knew if he didn’t stop this cycle anytime soon surely it would cause all of Argonavis to collapse. The thought of losing those friends Yuto held dear was enough to bring a fresh wave of tears to his eyes, scattering all other thoughts.

Again the familiar apology rose, its echoes filling the space with painful noise. But this time it simply died on his lips as his breath lodged in his throat. He no longer had the energy to even cry.

Yuto startled as his phone buzzed with an incoming call. Bewildered, he pulled it out to find Daisuke’s name on the screen.

“Daisuke…?”

Curiosity mingled with confusion as Yuto accepted the call and raised the phone to his ear. “Hello?”

“Hey, Yuto,” came Daisuke’s voice from the other end of the line. “I’m sorry I haven’t called you until now – I’ve been meaning to, but work has kept me busy these past few days.”

“It’s fine.” The response came reflexively, tinged with a touch of relief. “I’m just glad that you’re here now.”

“How’re you doing?” Daisuke asked. “I understand the argument with Dad the other day was quite rough on you all, and…” There was a pause, as if he had trailed off.

Yuto could only bow his head, his face falling. “It’s…going fine. We were a bit shaken, but…” He forced the words out, even as they rang hollow in his ears.

“Are you sure?” Daisuke’s voice was full of concern. “I won’t pressure you if you feel uncomfortable, but please know that if anything is troubling you. I’m always here to listen.”

The gentle warmth of Daisuke’s words reached through the fog like sunlight through the clouds. Yuto couldn’t help a small smile as he felt some of his unease melt away. “I appreciate it.”

“As I said before, I’m always here for you.” Yuto swore he could see Daisuke’s gentle smile in his reply. “And I mean it.”

“Thank you, Daisuke. Truly.”

Yuto closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath to steady himself. As he exhaled, he gradually felt more and more of the tension in his body slip away. “Alright. I…I’ll tell you everything since that day.”

“Go ahead. I’m listening.”

Hesitantly Yuto told Daisuke about the argument that led Yuto to the cafe in the rain, his discussion with Reon, Wataru overhearing and telling the others, and finally the argument they just had. As the details resurfaced in his mind, Yuto found himself pausing for breath, shaken as the sharp, painful fragments pierced his mind like shards of glass. On the other side there was a weighted, melancholic silence, broken only by the occasional murmur of understanding.

When Yuto finished speaking, his mouth and throat felt like sandpaper as his breath came in short pants. He cleared his throat and swallowed, praying it would help restore his voice some. His chest tightened as he grew painfully aware of the silence on the other end.

“Daisuke?” Yuto rasped.

“I’m here,” Daisuke replied soothingly. “Sorry, I just needed a bit of time to absorb all of this.”

Again a pause fell between them. Yuto continued wandering until he found a nearby bench. He sat down with a quiet sigh, shoulders sagging as he rested his elbows on his knees.

He startled as the speaker crackled. Through the static he thought could hear Daisuke sigh. “Things have certainly been rough for you all lately, and I understand the strain that all of you are under. That said, I do have something I’d like to ask you.”

Yuto gulped and nodded. “What is it?”

“From the sounds of it, even after all this time, you still have yet to place trust in your friends. Is that it?”

“Huh?”

“It’s obvious even from the short time I was with you that all of you in Argonavis care for each other. Everyone looks up to you and respects you as their leader, even if you can’t see it.” Though gentle, Daisuke’s voice carried a slight edge that made Yuto’s gut curl a touch. “I know it’s hard when you’ve been disregarded and shamed all your life for wanting to follow your own path, when you have been alone for so long that it feels like no one is truly at your side. But please know that you have all of Argonavis behind you, and me as well.”

“I know, but…” Yuto frowned. “What does this have to do with anything?”

“What I’m saying is, you need to believe in yourself as much as your friends believe in you. You offer your bandmates so much hope and faith – so much that you’ve left none for yourself. In your quest to lift others up, you’ve neglected yourself, and it shows.”

Yuto flinched at Daisuke’s words, a wince slipping free. “I…I suppose you’re right.”

“Yuto, you’re one of the kindest and most optimistic people I know. You’re always reaching out to others, spreading kindness and hope. If I could dare say, you shine like the sun itself.” Daisuke’s voice softened, almost as if he were smiling. “But don’t forget to give some of that light to yourself, too. After all, you cannot help others if your own light is depleted.”

“I guess so,” Yuto murmured.

“Someone once told me, ‘A constellation cannot be without all of its stars,’” Daisuke mused. “If even one star were altered or missing, the constellation would essentially cease to exist – or at least be fundamentally changed as to say it can no longer go by the same name.”

“And…?”

“Argonavis is a constellation, isn’t it? Not just the stars in the sky itself, but the five of you in this band as we know it. Surely you would understand the meaning of this.”

“I…” Yuto trailed off, the phrase lingering in his mind.

“Just as a constellation cannot be without all of its stars, a band cannot be without all of its members.”

Yuto perked up as something in his mind clicked. It was such a simple notion in hindsight, yet to hear it spoken out loud shook something deep inside him.

“And in a constellation, the individual stars trust each other to perform their role,” Daisuke continued. “Surely is it not the same for you guys as well?”

Yuto could only nod silently in response. Already the gears in his mind were beginning to turn as understanding settled into his bones.

“Yuto?”

“Yeah, I’m here,” Yuto replied. “Just thinking.”

Yuto raised his head to the sky, a small smile crossing his face. “Thank you, Daisuke. Your words really helped me.”

“Of course,” Daisuke replied. “I’m happy to help in any way I can.”

Yuto stretched his free arm out, reaching towards the sky. The clouds drifting overhead were so far away, yet simultaneously close enough to touch.

“Trust in yourself, Yuto. You’re stronger than you know. Your friends see it – which is why they trusted in you and followed you all this way,” Daisuke finally said. “The least you can do is to trust in your friends in return. Even if you can’t see why you should believe in their words, know that they all care for you and want Argonavis to succeed as much as you do.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Yuto drew in a deep breath, his smile widening despite himself.

“You can do it, Yuto. All of us are with you, cheering you on.”

Yuto nodded, his chest feeling lighter. “I’ll do my best. And…I know I’ve said this a lot, but from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I wouldn’t know what I’d do without you.”

To his surprise, Daisuke chuckled. “None of this was me – all I did was give you a little nudge. You were the one who realized what needed to be done and took it in stride. You grew – be proud of that.”

Above the sky seemed to burn, painted with vivid streaks of orange, red, purple, and gold. Yuto’s gaze lingered on the blazing sky, his heart fluttering.

“I have to go now, but I’ll always be here if you need to call.” Daisuke’s voice drew Yuto from his reverie.

Yuto’s voice was warm as he responded. “Got it.”

“Goodbye for now, Yuto. I love you.”

“Love you too, Daisuke. Talk to you again soon.”

With that Yuto ended the call, his smile lingering as he gazed at the screen, then back up at the sunset before him. A gentle flame settled deep inside its chest, brilliant as the painted sky as its warmth gradually thawed the ice around his heart.

“Yu?”

Yuto jumped with a gasp, then whirled around. “Wataru?!” What was he doing here?

Wataru’s expression mirrored Yuto’s for a split second, before relaxing into quiet relief. Yet Yuto could also sense another emotion stirring beneath, flickering to life.

“Yu, I…” Wataru began, before trailing off.

“What is it?” Yuto tilted his head quizzically.

Wataru’s chest heaved as he drew in a breath, then sighed. “I just wanted to apologize for what happened back there. I got frustrated and lost my temper, but I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that.”

A sharp pang of guilt lanced Yuto’s chest.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Yuto nodded. “I owe you and everyone else in Argonavis an apology too for lashing out – not to mention when I…” The next words lodged themselves in his throat, too painful to say.

Finally, he sighed and shook his head. “After everything that happened…instead of being there for you guys, I ended up fighting with you all and making selfish, rash decisions that would only hurt everyone in the end.” Yuto’s voice softened as a rueful chuckle slipped free. “I really screwed up, didn’t I?”

“Yu…”

Again Yuto felt his throat close up. He turned his gaze towards the sky, tears pricking his eyes. “This entire mess is my fault – driving everyone away instead of bringing us together, and then trying to run away from the pain instead of facing them as a true leader should.”

“It wasn’t your fault alone, Yu,” Wataru interjected. “If anything we should share equal blame.”

Yuto turned back towards Wataru with an incredulous look. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better, aren’t you?”

“I’m saying that because it’s the truth.”

Yuto opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came. Wataru seemed to catch himself, a shadow of regret crossing his face.

“Even then…” Yuto bit his tongue as he floundered for words.

“Everyone in Argonavis wants you to stay, Yuto. We all want to continue our journey with you. After all,  _ you _ were the one who brought us on board this ship, who guided us on our journey and led us all this way. If you were to fall, we…we might as well fall alongside you.”

Bitterness lingered on Yuto’s tongue as he looked away. “Yeah, I know.” He lowered his head, one hand curling into a fist at his chest. “I’m sorry, but I don’t feel ready to face the others yet. I need more time.”

“Just promise you’ll come talk to us eventually, alright?”

“Yeah. I…I’ll try.”

When Yuto dared look back at Wataru, he was met with a gentle smile. “No matter what happens, Yu, we’ll always be by your side. And no matter how long as it takes, we’ll wait until you give your answer.”

Yuto bit back a chuckle at those familiar words. “You still remember.”

“It was something you’ve always said – and it always seemed to serve you well.”

“Guess so.”

For a long beat Yuto and Watau shared a quiet gaze, unspoken thoughts and emotions hanging between them.

“That aside, are you planning to come home? It’s getting late, after all.”

_ Home… _

Yuto hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, I am.”

Wataru’s features relaxed into a relieved smile. “Good.”

With that, Yuto and Wataru walked home together, the fiery sky above lighting the way.


End file.
